Dr. Eytan Stein on Targeting Mutations in Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Eytan Stein, MD, discusses the benefits of being able to identify drivers in acute myeloid leukemia and having drugs coming into the clinics to target those biological mutations.
Eytan Stein, MD, hematologist/oncologist, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses the benefits of being able to identify drivers in acute myeloid leukemia and having drugs coming into the clinics to target those biological mutations. Stein says historically, oncologists have been giving induction chemotherapy and consolidation chemotherapy, which he says is non-specific and does an "okay job" at initially benefitting patients with acute myeloid leukemia before relapse.
Stein cites a recent phase III trial researching the drug midostaurin (PKC412), which inhibits FLK3, in combination with chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone. He says the overall survival advantage of the combination is about 7% of 5 years, which is proof of principle for oncologists to begin considering the combination in their treatment paradigms.
