What Patients With AML Need to Know About Azacitidine and Velclexta

During a recent visit to the Georgia Cancer Center, CURE sat down for an interview with Dr. Daniel Peters, an assistant professor of medicine in the Bone Marrow Transplant and Cell Therapy Program to discuss targeted therapies and regimens that patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) should be aware of today.

In particular, Peters noted the wider adoption and use of the treatment regimen of azacitidine chemotherapy with Velclexta (venetoclax), a form of targeted therapy, which he said he believes is going to be increasingly offered to patients in clinic.

“I think that it is going to be important with this regimen to make sure that your community practice provider has experience with this regime. If they don't have experience with it, being able to have close access and liaise with an academic medical center or another institution that has experience with it [is important] because it can be a bit of a tricky regimen to manage.”

Peters also discussed the issue of differentiation syndrome, a potentially life-threatening inflammatory reaction that can occur when certain leukemia treatments rapidly mature cancer cells, causing fever, swelling, breathing problems and organ dysfunction.

Transcript

What newer targeted agents or regimens should patients be aware of today?

One of biggest stories or developments in acute myeloid leukemia or AML is the wider adoption and use of the regimen of azacitidine and Venclexta, which is going to be increasingly offered to patients in the clinic...

I think azacitidine and Venclexta is definitely one that most patients will and should hear about. And then, asking your oncologist if you're on one of these targeted chemotherapies, which are most often pills, you should be aware of the side effect of differentiation syndrome, and making sure you know to keep a close eye out for that, and really having a close line of communication with your oncologist about that.

Transcript has been edited for clarity and conciseness.

For more news on cancer updates, research and education, don’t forget to subscribe to CURE®’s newsletters here.