Dr. Barry Skikne, an expert on acute myeloid leukemia (AML) at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, talks about some of the special considerations for treating frail elderly AML patients. Tolerability to intensive chemotherapy is challenging in frail elderly patients, and patients will quite often require hospitalization involving continuous intravenous infusion over 4 to 5 days with recovery lasting over 4-5 weeks. Elderly frail patients are closely observed for complications, especially if they have underlying heart, lung, or kidney disease. Less intensive treatment should be a consideration in frail elderly patients. Elderly patients can benefit from outpatient management. New oral treatments are being introduced which are more convenient for patients. Standard treatments such as azacitidine and decitabine may be given in combination; newer regimens present opportunities for treating elderly AML patients.

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