Impact of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation on the outcome of older patients with acute myeloid leukemia

For younger patients with intermediate- or high-risk acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in first remission, allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) offers the best chance of cure and therefore is the treatment of choice. The role of allogeneic HCT in the treatment of older patients is less well defined. In this review, four issues concerning the role of HCT in the treatment of older AML patients will be addressed: the frequency of allogeneic HCT in the older AML population in the US; the impact of age on the outcome of HCT; the comparative outcome of allogeneic HCT versus chemotherapy in older AML patients; and some of the barriers to the effective use of HCT in older AML patients.