Azacitidine in combination with HAG for newly diagnosed and relapsed/refractory AML: a prospective cohort study

While Azacitidine combined with HAG (HHT, low-dose cytarabine, G-CSF) regimen has shown promise in treating older and unfit patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), its efficacy in younger patients remains understudied. This study evaluates the effectiveness and safety of Azacitidine combined with the HAG regimen in a broader patient cohort, including newly diagnosed and relapsed/refractory AML patients. This single-center, prospective cohort included patients with acute myeloid leukemia admitted to our center from June 2019 to Oct 2022 for induction chemotherapy with the HAGA regimen (Azacitidine combined with HAG). We focused on patients’ remission rate, MRD (minimal residual disease) conversion and safety. 71 patients with newly diagnosed or R/R AML were enrolled in this study, with a median follow-up time of 20.5 months. After two cycles of HAGA, patients received 3 cycles intermediate-dose Cytarabine and 1 cycle HAGA regimen as consolidation therapies. The CRc (composite complete remission) rate of HAGA regimen as induction chemotherapy for the overall cohort was 85.9% (61/71), which included 71.8% (51/71) CR and 14.1% (10/71) CRi. The CRc with MRD-negative rate was 76.1%. Median OS (overall survival) and DFS (disease free survival) were not yet reached, and the estimated 24-month OS rate was 65.4% (95%CI: 48.4–78.0%), the estimated 24-month DFS rate 66.0% (95%CI: 48.1–79.0%). Only one patient died in induction. The HAGA regimen can be a new option in addition to intense chemotherapy for newly diagnosed or R/R AML, and with high safety.