INTRODUCTION: @entity3052 ( @entity3052 ) is the most common type of @entity1778 among adults in the US. However, data on longitudinal treatment patterns and outcomes associated with @entity3052 and its relapse are sparse, particularly among the elderly. This study documents changes in treatment patterns and outcomes among elderly @entity3052 @entity1 over the past decade. METHODS: Using the linked Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare database, we retrospectively evaluated trends in mortality, treatment patterns, healthcare resource utilisation and Medicare payments associated with @entity3052 and its relapse among Medicare beneficiaries > or =65 years of age who were initially diagnosed with @entity3052 in a SEER registry between 1991 and 1999. Chemotherapy was ascertained from examination of inpatient and outpatient bills. @entity3052 relapse and retreatment were identified using a validated algorithm. Costs of care were based on total Medicare payments. RESULTS: A total of 3439 elderly @entity1 with @entity3052 were identified. Median survival across all study @entity1 was 2.4 months (mean +/- SD 5.6 +/- 6.8 months), with medians of 3.9, 2.2 and 1.4 months for @entity1 65-74 years of age, 75-84 years of age and > or =85 years of age, respectively. Fewer than 7% of @entity1 were alive at 2 years, and there was very little variation during the decade of our analysis. Costs and overall healthcare utilisation patterns also changed very little, with the exception of those relating to hospice use and chemotherapy. Hospice use more than doubled during the decade (from 12% to 29% among @entity1 diagnosed in 1991 and 1999, respectively; p < 0.0001), mostly among the oldest @entity1 . Administration of chemotherapy also increased from 29% of @entity1 diagnosed in 1991 to 38% of @entity1 diagnosed in 1999 (p = 0.014), with the increase being seen mostly among younger @entity1 and those treated in teaching hospitals. Average total costs (+/- SD) were US 51,888 +/-  54,825 and declined by age as a result of lower survival. A total of 192 @entity1 (16% of treated @entity1 ) relapsed and received retreatment with chemotherapy. These @entity1 survived a median 18 months, with a median duration of remission of 8 months, and average total costs three times higher than the overall sample. CONCLUSIONS: The high early mortality and costs associated with @entity3052 have not changed significantly over the past decade. However, treatment patterns appear to be changing, with increasing use of chemotherapy and hospice care. The ongoing introduction of new treatments for @entity3052 in the elderly is likely to further impact treatment patterns, and may change the economic burden of the disease. Our findings can be used as a baseline against which the benefits of new therapies can be compared.

Trends in the treatment of XXXX in the elderly.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients'] @entity1778 :: ('MESH:D007938', 'Disease') :: ['leukaemia'] @entity3052 :: ('MESH:D015470', 'Disease') :: ['AML', 'Acute myeloid leukaemia']
@entity3052 :: (MESH:D015470,Disease) :: ['acute myeloid leukaemia']
