The prognostic value of ferritin level at diagnosis in AML patients is unknown. We studied 162 younger AML patients with intermediate-risk cytogenetics who received intensive chemotherapy. The median ferritin level at diagnosis was 633 μg/L and 128 (79%) patients had a ferritin level above the upper normal limit. Hyperferritinemia was significantly associated with a higher cumulative incidence of relapse as well as poorer disease-free and overall survival. In multivariate analysis, hyperferritinemia remained an independent poor prognosis factor. The level of ferritin at diagnosis has a major impact on relapse suggesting a link between inflammation, oxidative stress and chemoresistance in AML.
Keywords: Acute myeloid leukemia; Ferritin; Leukemia; Prognosis.
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