Dr. Powell on the Treatment of Older Patients With AML

Bayard L. Powell, MD, the Director-At-Large and a Professor in Hematology & Oncology at the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center Comprehensive Cancer Center, discusses the treatment of older patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

The oncology community is vying to determine which older patients can tolerate aggressive treatment for AML and which patients need new options. Among the group of those who need other treatments, some patients are not in good shape to start with and may need an earlier intervention.

In looking at interventions, Powell says, researchers are conducting activity or exercise studies. One study is looking at older patients with AML who are not very fit to start with and determining their tolerance to treatment following regular exercise. An upcoming study is looking at the impact of yoga, both psychologically and physically, on a patient's ability to tolerate treatment. Powell says he is excited to see where these studies lead and incorporate new strategies into treatment for this group of patients.