One Chemo Cycle Better than Multiple for Conversion to MRDNegative Status

When controlling for age, chemotherapy dose, risk category, and the use of a combination agent for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), multivariable logistic regression for patients with a measurable residual disease (MRD) threshold of detection of at least 0.1% showed that treatment with one cycle of consolidation chemotherapy versus two or more cycles lessened the odds of conversion of AML to MRD-negative status. For a study published in Leukemia & Lymphoma, Daria Gaut, MD, MSCR, and colleagues aimed to clarify the rate of MRD clearance in AML with standard consolidation chemotherapy. They conducted a multi-institution retrospective analysis on 107 consecutively treated patients with AML in morphologic complete remission with detectable MRD post-induction therapy. A total of 43.3% of patients with an MRD threshold of detection of at least 0.1% converted to MRD-negative status and 12.8% with an MRD threshold of detection greater than 0.1% converted to MRD-negative status in response to standard high-dose consolidation therapy.