Durable remission of acute myeloid leukemia in an elderly patient following a limited course of azacitidine and venetoclax

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous hematological malignancy characterized by clonal expansion of myeloid blasts. It is the most common type of acute leukemia in adults, including elderly patients, and has historically been associated with poor outcomes in this age group. Here, we present the case of an 80-year-old woman with newly diagnosed AML with myelodysplasia-related changes. She was treated with a total of five cycles of azacitidine, two cycles as monotherapy followed by three cycles in combination with venetoclax. Therapy was stopped due to cytopenias and declining performance status. Bone marrow aspirate and biopsy immediately following treatment and again approximately four months later did not show any morphologic, immunophenotypic, or cytogenetic evidence of leukemia. The patient's clinical and performance status improved significantly with time. Follow-up labs more than three years following the completion of treatment reveal continued hematologic remission. A short treatment course of azacitidine and venetoclax with close monitoring may lead to durable responses in some patients. Further studies are necessary to determine which patients might be appropriate for treatment suspension or discontinuation while in remission.