Treating Acute Leukemia During the COVID-19 Pandemic in an Environment With Limited Resources: A Multicenter Experience in Four Latin American Countries.

PURPOSE: The COVID-19 pandemic is a colossal challenge for global health; nonetheless, specific subgroups face considerably higher risks for infection and mortality. Among patients with malignant diseases, those with hematologic neoplasms are at a higher risk for poor outcomes. The objective of this study was to register treatment modifications associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and their short-term consequences in Latin America. METHODS: Multicenter, prospective, observational, cohort study including patients older than 14 years from 14 centers in four countries (Mexico, Peru, Guatemala, and Panama) who had a confirmed diagnosis of acute leukemia, and who were undergoing active treatment since the first COVID-19 case in each country until the cutoff on July 15, 2020. RESULTS: We recruited 635 patients. Treatment modifications because of the COVID-19 pandemic were reported in 40.8% of cases. The main reason for such modifications was logistic issues (55.0%) and the most frequent modification was chemotherapy delay (42.0%). A total of 13.1% patients developed COVID-19 disease, with a mortality of 37.7%. Several factors were identified as independently associated with mortality, including a diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia (odds ratio 2.38 [95% CI, 1.47 to 3.84]; P < .001), while the use of telemedicine was identified as a protective factor (odds ratio 0.36 [95% CI, 0.18 to 0.82]; P = .014). CONCLUSION: These results highlight the collateral damage of COVID-19 in oncology patients.

[High-intensity chemotherapy versus palliative chemotherapy in patients over 60 years with acute myeloid leukemia]. / Quimioterapia intensa frente a quimioterapia paliativa en pacientes con leucemia mieloblástica mayores de 60 años.

BACKGROUND: The use of high-intensity chemotherapy (HIC) for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in the elderly is controversial. In the present study, it was assessed complete remission and overall survival of AML patients over 60 years treated with HIC or palliative chemotherapy. METHODS: Patients with ECOG ≤ 2 and adequate organic function received HIC with a base of cytarabine for five or seven days, and an anthracycline for three days. If patients achieved complete remission of leukemia, they received one or two cycles of consolidation with cytarabine. Palliative treatment consisted of supported measures and/or oral or intravenous low-dose chemotherapy. RESULTS: Seven patients treated with HIC achieved complete remission versus only one in the palliative group. Only one patient died during HIC treatment. Median survival for HIC-treated patients was 13.25 months, and only 3.35 months for patients treated with palliative therapy (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: AML patients of 60 years or older, with good performance status (ECOG ≤ 2) and adequate organ function, may benefit from HIC treatment, with better survival, compared with palliative therapy.

Introducción: el tratamiento con quimioterapia intensa (QTI) en pacientes con leucemia mieloblástica (LMA) mayores de 60 años es controversial. En el presente estudio se evaluó la remisión completa y la supervivencia global de pacientes con LMA mayores de 60 años, tratados con QTI o quimioterapia paliativa. Métodos: los pacientes con adecuada función orgánica y ECOG ≤ 2 recibieron QTI a base de citarabina por cinco o siete días más un antracíclico por tres días y terapia de soporte. En caso de lograr remisión completa de la leucemia recibieron uno o dos ciclos de consolidación con citarabina. El tratamiento paliativo consistió en medidas de soporte o quimioterapia oral o intravenosa en dosis bajas. Resultados: del grupo de QTI siete pacientes alcanzaron remisión completa, comparados con uno del grupo de quimioterapia paliativa. La supervivencia global fue de 13.25 meses para los pacientes con QTI y de 3.35 meses para los pacientes de quimioterapia paliativa (p < 0.05). Conclusión: es posible que los pacientes con LMA mayores de 60 años de edad se beneficien de recibir QTI, comparada con la quimioterapia paliativa.