Concurrent Diagnosis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Symptomatic COVID-19 Infection: a Case Report Successfully Treated with Azacitidine-Venetoclax Combination

Taurino, Daniela; Frigeni, Marco; Grassi, Anna; Cavallaro, Gianluca; Salmoiraghi, Silvia; Spinelli, Orietta; Rambaldi, Alessandro; Lussana, Federico

SARS-COV2 pandemic has caused profound challenges in health care systems worldwide. Patients affected by hematological neoplasms appear to be particularly at risk of developing COVID-19 complications, with unfavorable outcomes. Here, we present the case of a 57-years-old woman diagnosed with severe COVID-19 pneumonia and concurrent acute myeloid leukemia (AML). At the time of diagnosis, it was decided to postpone leukemia therapy to enable adequate COVID-19 pneumonia treatment. When her conditions related to pneumonia improved, the combination of Azacitidine-Venetoclax was used as first-line treatment instead of conventional intensive chemotherapy. At the end of the first two cycles, the patient showed complete remission, and a post-remission consolidation with allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation has been planned. This case suggests that Azacytidine-Venetoclax induction may represent a valid and safe alternative to intensive chemotherapy in the challenging setting of patients with a concomitant diagnosis of AML and severe COVID-19 infection.