Old age (≤65 years), relapsed or refractory disease, and the presence of FMS-like receptor tyrosine kinase-3 (FLT3) internal tandem duplication (ITD) mutation are poor prognostic factors in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). FLT3 inhibitors such as sorafenib have been shown to have a potential role in treating relapsed or refractory AML with FLT3 mutations. In the present report, the use of sorafenib in combination with cytarabine and idarubicin resulted in disease control for 7 months in an older patient with relapsed FLT3-positive AML. This case report and the existing literature indicate that sorafenib has disease activity against relapsed AML with the FLT3-ITD mutation in older patients. Larger multicenter studies should be conducted to confirm these findings, which have the potential to improve outcomes in this high-risk AML subgroup.
Copyright © 2015 by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.