Prof Shella Saint Fleur-Lominy speaks to ecancer about one of the largest race-based comparisons of genetic abnormalities and clinical outcomes data in AML.

This study analyses racial disparities in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) outcomes using data from 10 intensive chemotherapy-based clinical trials spanning 1984–2019.

She says that among 3,809 patients, black AML patients were younger at diagnosis but had significantly worse overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) compared to white patients.

Cytogenetic risk scores (ELN 2017) predicted OS in both racial groups, though DFS prediction was limited in black patients.

She highlights that while NPM1 mutations were linked to worse survival in black patients, responses to chemotherapy were similar across races. However, black patients were less likely to receive allogeneic stem cell transplants.

These findings highlight the independent prognostic impact of race in AML, the need for race-informed treatment strategies, and the importance of equitable access to transplantation and clinical trial participation.