Report from the 57th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition — Malignant Hematology

Editors from NEJM Journal Watch Oncology and Hematology attended the recent meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH). Here, Dr. Michael E. Williams describes the latest findings in malignant hematology.

Midostaurin for FLT3-Mutated Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with mutation in the FLT3 tyrosine kinase gene carries a poor prognosis. In a phase III international trial (abstract 6), 717 newly diagnosed AML patients (aged 18–60 years) with FLT3 internal tandem duplication or point mutations were randomized to standard cytarabine and daunorubicin plus the FLT3 inhibitor midostaurin or placebo.

At a median follow-up of 57 months, remission rates were similar with midostaurin or placebo (59% and 54%, respectively), a…