Racial and ethnic disparities in the survival of adolescents and young adults (AYA) with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

297 Background: Unlike acute lymphoblastic leukemia, no studies have examined the effect of race on survival among AML in AYA using national data.

METHODS: We studied patients in the US National Cancer Data Base aged 15-39 diagnosed with AML from 2001-2011 (excluding acute promyelocytic leukemia). AMLs harboring inv(16) or t(8;21) were defined as good-risk. We examined overall survival (OS) according to race/ethnicity and survival trends over three time-periods: 2001-2004, 2005-2008, and 2009-2011.

RESULTS: We identified 8,986 patients, with a mean follow-up of 37 months. The median OS according to race/ethnicity was 56, 49, 41, and 22 months for Asians/Pacific Islanders (A/PI), Hispanics, Whites, and Blacks respectively (P < 0.001). OS improved over time among Whites only, with respective median OS of 31, 43, and 49 months (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis adjusting for socio-demographics, travel distance, and AML type, showed that, compared to Whites, Blacks had a significantly worse and Hispanics a significantly better OS (Table).

CONCLUSIONS: We found significant disparities in OS among racial/ethnic subgroups in AYA with AML despite adjustment for socio-demographic factors. Blacks had the worse and Hispanics the best outcome. In the past decade, OS improved only among the Whites. Further studies should examine provider and patient care delivery factors that may contribute to these disparities. [Table: see text].