Acute myeloid leukemia
ICD-10 C92.0 · ICD-11 2A60

CBF-AML: What to Do When Induction 1 Fails to Achieve Remission

Clinical scenario

This protocol applies to patients with core binding factor acute myeloid leukaemia (CBF-AML) — specifically those who are RUNX1-RUNX1T1-positive or CBFB-MYH11-positive — who are eligible for standard induction and consolidation chemotherapy.

Prior treatment & failure condition

Induction 1 comprised cytarabine, daunorubicin, and — for patients with CD33-positive blasts — gemtuzumab ozogamicin (7+3 ± GO). Remission assessment between day 14 and day 21 showed blast persistence: CR/CRi (fewer than 5% blasts in the bone marrow) was not achieved. This protocol defines the next step after that failure.

Approach (partial overview)

Patients with confirmed blast persistence after induction 1 proceed to a second induction cycle. Options include either repeating a similar chemotherapy backbone or switching to an intermediate-dose cytarabine‑based regimen. The complete regimen selection, sequencing, and all dosing details are available in the full protocol.

Treatment goal

Achievement of complete remission or complete remission with incomplete count recovery (CR/CRi), defined as fewer than 5% blasts in the bone marrow — enabling progression to consolidation.

Instant Access to Structured Evidence-Based Regimens

References

For CBF-AML, the authors recommend 7 days of cytarabine, 3 days of daunorubicin (7+3) and 1–3 days of gemtuzumab ozogamicin (GO) in induction 1: 7+3+GO [II, A].

Patients with ≥5% blasts in BM after induction 1 (blast persistence) should receive a second induction cycle, which may consist of the identical chemotherapy as induction 1 or of a regimen containing intermediate-dose cytarabine (IDAC), for example, FLAG-Ida [III, C].

As soon as patients achieve CR/CRi after 1 or 2 induction cycles, they should proceed to consolidation treatment [II, B].

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