Most patients above 60 years with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) will die from their disease. Nevertheless, the treatment concepts in elderly patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and AML are rapidly evolving. A number of recent reports have identified better survival rates with intensive induction chemotherapy for patients up to 80 years, with the exception of patients with unfavorable genomic risk abnormalities or with major co-morbidities. Gemtuzumab ozogamicin is increasingly added to induction therapy for AML patients up to 70 years with favorable or intermediate risk profile, and Midostaurin for patients with a FLT3 mutation.
