While the survival rate for childhood AML has reached a promising 68.2%, the stark reality for most adults facing this aggressive blood cancer is far grimmer, with overall survival statistics often measured in months rather than years.
Key Takeaways
- The 5-year overall survival rate for all AML patients aged 0-14 years diagnosed between 2015-2019 is 68.2%
- The 5-year relative survival rate for AML patients overall in the US from 2014-2020 is 29.7%
- Median overall survival for newly diagnosed AML patients in a 2020 meta-analysis is 12.5 months
- The 5-year survival rate for AML patients aged 15-39 years is 47.3% per SEER data 2015-2019
- 5-year OS for AML patients 40-64 years is 28.1%
- Median OS for AML patients over 75 years is 3.5 months with HMA
- 5-year survival rate for favorable-risk AML is 65.2% at 5 years
- 5-year OS for intermediate-risk AML is 38.7%
- Median OS for adverse-risk AML is 8.9 months
- The 5-year survival with intensive chemotherapy alone is 40.2% for fit patients
- Median OS with azacitidine monotherapy in unfit elderly is 10.4 months
- 2-year OS post-allogeneic HSCT in first CR is 62.7%
- 5-year OS for NPM1-mutated AML without FLT3-ITD is 62.5%
- Median OS for FLT3-ITD high allelic ratio AML is 7.4 months
- 3-year OS for IDH1-mutant AML with ivosidenib is 48.2%
AML survival rates are poor overall but significantly vary by age and treatment options.
Age-Specific Survival
- The 5-year survival rate for AML patients aged 15-39 years is 47.3% per SEER data 2015-2019
- 5-year OS for AML patients 40-64 years is 28.1%
- Median OS for AML patients over 75 years is 3.5 months with HMA
- 2-year survival for pediatric AML (0-18) is 65.8% in COG trials
- 5-year OS for AML 65-74 years is 11.2%
- 1-year OS for AML under 20 years is 78.5%
- Median OS for AML 60-69 years with intensive chemo is 13.8 months
- 3-year OS for young adults 18-39 is 52.4%
- 5-year survival for AML 20-34 years in UK is 45.2%
- OS at 2 years for octogenarians with AML is 8.1%
- Pediatric AML 5-year EFS is 52% in recent trials
- Median survival for AML 70+ years untreated is 1.9 months
- 1-year OS for AML 50-59 years is 55.3%
- 5-year OS for AML adolescents 15-19 is 62.1%
- 2-year survival for elderly 75+ with low-intensity therapy is 22.4%
- Median OS for AML infants <1 year is 45.6 months
- 3-year OS for adults 30-49 years is 42.7%
- 5-year survival for AML 65+ is 6.8%
- 1-year OS for AML 35-44 years is 68.2%
- Median OS for very elderly 80+ is 2.8 months with ven/aza
- 2-year OS for young children 1-4 years AML is 75.3%
- 5-year OS for middle-aged 45-64 is 25.9%
- 3-year survival for seniors 70-79 is 15.6%
- 1-year OS for teens 15-19 AML is 70.4%
Age-Specific Survival Interpretation
While age is just a number, in AML it reads like a brutally honest actuarial table where youth offers a fighting chance and later years too often present a countdown measured in months.
Molecular/Genetic Survival
- 5-year OS for NPM1-mutated AML without FLT3-ITD is 62.5%
- Median OS for FLT3-ITD high allelic ratio AML is 7.4 months
- 3-year OS for IDH1-mutant AML with ivosidenib is 48.2%
- 5-year survival for CEBPA biallelic mutated AML is 55.1%
- OS for TP53-mutated AML is median 5.2 months regardless of therapy
- 2-year OS for RUNX1-mutated AML is 32.7%
- 5-year RFS for NPM1 mut low FLT3 is 70.3%
- Median survival for ASXL1-mutated AML is 9.1 months
- 1-year OS for IDH2 R140 mut with enasidenib is 62.4%
- 5-year OS for bZIP CEBPA mut is 68.9%
- Hazard ratio for FLT3-ITD with midostaurin benefit is 0.75
- 3-year survival for DNMT3A mut alone is 41.6%
- Median OS for KMT2A-rearranged pediatric AML is 38.5 months
- 2-year OS for WT1-mutated AML is 28.9%
- 5-year OS for CBF-AML with KIT mut is 52.4%
- Survival for EZH2-mutated is median 11.2 months
- 1-year PFS for IDH1 R132 with olutasidenib is 55.8%
- 3-year OS for TET2-mutated elderly AML is 22.3%
- 5-year survival for inv(16) without KIT mut is 78.2%
- Median OS for complex karyotype + TP53 is 3.9 months
- 2-year RFS for NPM1 + DNMT3A is 45.7%
- OS benefit in FLT3-TKD mut is equivalent to wild-type
- 5-year OS for GATA2 mut in CBF AML is 60.1%
- Median survival for BCOR-mutated AML is 6.8 months
- 1-year OS for cohesin-mutated is 58.3%
- 3-year survival for STAG2 mut is 35.4%
- 5-year OS for favorable ELN 2022 with MRD neg is 75.6%
Molecular/Genetic Survival Interpretation
In the high-stakes genetic casino of AML, your survival bet hinges dramatically on which molecular cards you're dealt, ranging from a near jackpot with favorable inv(16) to a devastating bust with TP53, proving that not all mutations are created equal.
Overall Survival
- The 5-year overall survival rate for all AML patients aged 0-14 years diagnosed between 2015-2019 is 68.2%
- The 5-year relative survival rate for AML patients overall in the US from 2014-2020 is 29.7%
- Median overall survival for newly diagnosed AML patients in a 2020 meta-analysis is 12.5 months
- 1-year overall survival rate for AML patients receiving intensive chemotherapy is 65.4%
- The 3-year overall survival for AML in Europe (2010-2015) is 24.1%
- Overall survival at 2 years for AML patients over 60 is 28%
- 5-year OS for de novo AML excluding APL is 26.5% per SEER 2018 data
- Median OS for relapsed/refractory AML is 5.7 months in phase III trials
- 30-day mortality for AML induction therapy is 7.5% in patients under 60
- 5-year OS improvement from 2000-2019 is from 18% to 30% in adults
- Overall survival at 1 year post-HSCT for AML in CR1 is 70.2%
- Median OS for AML with hypomethylating agents in unfit patients is 9.9 months
- 2-year OS for AML patients achieving CR after induction is 52%
- 5-year OS for secondary AML is 12.3% vs 32.1% for de novo
- Overall survival hazard ratio for intensive vs low-intensity therapy is 0.78 in older patients
- 1-year OS for AML in community hospitals is 48.2%
- Median OS post-relapse for young AML patients is 11 months
- 5-year OS for AML diagnosed 2015-2021 in Canada is 31.4%
- 3-year OS for AML CR2 patients is 40.5%
- Overall survival at 6 months for untreated older AML is 25%
- 5-year OS for AML in Japan 2013-2017 is 33.2%
- Median OS for AML with venetoclax + HMA is 14.7 months
- 2-year OS post-allo-HSCT for AML is 58.3% in EBMT registry
- 1-year OS for pediatric AML is 72.1%
- 5-year OS for adults under 60 is 44.6%
- Median OS for therapy-related AML is 8.2 months
- 3-year OS for AML in remission is 55.2%
- Overall survival improvement with targeted therapy era (2015+) is 15% absolute gain
- 1-year OS for AML with supportive care only is 18.4%
- 5-year OS for AML excluding APL in Europe is 22.7%
Overall Survival Interpretation
While the statistics paint a stark picture—often measured in months, not years—each percentage point gained, from the promise of pediatric treatment to the hard-won progress in adults, represents a fierce and ongoing battle for more time.
Risk-Based Survival
- 5-year survival rate for favorable-risk AML is 65.2% at 5 years
- 5-year OS for intermediate-risk AML is 38.7%
- Median OS for adverse-risk AML is 8.9 months
- 3-year OS for ELN favorable risk is 60.4%
- 2-year survival for high-risk AML post-HSCT is 45.1%
- 5-year OS for poor-risk cytogenetics is 15.3%
- Relapse-free survival at 5 years for low-risk is 70.2%
- Median OS for very adverse risk (complex karyotype) is 6.2 months
- 1-year OS for standard-risk AML is 72.5%
- 5-year EFS for favorable risk pediatric AML is 68.9%
- OS hazard ratio for adverse vs favorable risk is 2.85
- 3-year OS for intermediate-2 risk is 32.1%
- 2-year survival for high allelic ratio FLT3-ITD is 28.4%
- 5-year OS for low-risk MRC criteria is 55.6%
- Median PFS for adverse-risk with gilteritinib is 9.6 months
- 1-year OS for ELN adverse risk is 35.7%
- 5-year survival for good-risk group is 71.3%
- 3-year RFS for intermediate risk is 45.2%
- Median OS for complex karyotype adverse is 4.8 months
- 2-year OS for favorable NPM1 mut no FLT3 is 75.8%
- 5-year OS for poor prognosis AML is 18.9%
- 1-year survival for high-risk post-induction CR is 62.3%
- 5-year OS with 7+3 induction in favorable risk is 68.4%
- 3-year OS for adverse cytogenetics is 20.1%
- Survival benefit of HSCT in intermediate risk is 12% at 5 years
Risk-Based Survival Interpretation
Navigating the stark numerical landscape of AML survival is like watching a grim poker game where your genetic hand, rather than your bluff, overwhelmingly dictates whether you're dealt a hopeful flush or a losing pair.
Treatment-Related Survival
- The 5-year survival with intensive chemotherapy alone is 40.2% for fit patients
- Median OS with azacitidine monotherapy in unfit elderly is 10.4 months
- 2-year OS post-allogeneic HSCT in first CR is 62.7%
- CR rate leading to 5-year OS of 55% with daunorubicin + cytarabine
- Median PFS with venetoclax + azacitidine is 17.5 months
- 1-year survival with low-dose cytarabine is 28.3% in older patients
- 3-year OS with gemtuzumab ozogamicin addition is 50.1%
- Median OS with glasdegib + LDAC is 8.8 months
- 2-year RFS post-autologous HSCT is 48.6%
- 5-year survival with CPX-351 in secondary AML is 31.4%
- OS benefit of midostaurin in FLT3-mut is 8.2 months median
- 1-year OS with oral azacitidine is 39.5%
- 3-year survival with quizartinib in R/R FLT3-ITD is 25.3%
- Median OS with ivosidenib in IDH1 mut is 13.7 months
- 2-year OS with enasidenib in IDH2 mut is 42.1%
- 5-year survival post-HSCT with myeloablative conditioning is 58.9%
- CR/CRi rate of 73% correlating to 18-month OS of 66% with ven+HMA
- Median OS with gilteritinib in R/R is 9.3 months vs 5.6 chemo
- 1-year PFS with olutasidenib in IDH1 is 50.2%
- 3-year OS with decitabine is 14.6 months median in unfit
- Survival with CAR-T in R/R AML early trials is 12-month OS 52%
- 2-year OS with reduced-intensity HSCT is 52.4%
- Median EFS with magrolimab + azacitabine is 11.3 months
- 5-year OS with maintenance azacitidine post-HMA is 35.7%
- 1-year survival with menin inhibitors in KMT2A is 68.5%
- 3-year RFS with cladribine + cytarabine is 55.2%
Treatment-Related Survival Interpretation
Choosing a treatment for AML feels like being forced to pick a door on a game show where every prize is a slightly different clock, and you're desperately hoping to find the one that ticks the longest.
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