A Randomized Phase II Trial of Decitabine-Based Induction Strategies for Patients >/= 60 Years Old With Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)

Inclusion Criteria:

- Unequivocal pathologic diagnosis of AML (>= 20% blasts in the bone marrow based on
WHO criteria) EXCLUDING:

- Acute promyelocytic leukemia t(15;17)(q22;q12); PML-RARA

- Acute myeloid leukemia with t(8;21)(q22;q22); RUNX1-RUNXT1 as determined by the
OSU Molecular Reference Laboratory, per CALGB 20202; however patients who (1)
are >=75 years; and/or (2) have an ejection fraction of < 40%; and/or (3) have a
performance status of > 2, may be registered to CALGB 20202 and registered and
treated on CALGB 11002 prior to receiving the FLT3 mutation and CBF molecular
screening results from CALGB 20202

- Acute myeloid leukemia with inv(16)(p13.1;q22) or t(16;16)(p13.1;q22);
CBFB-MYH11 as determined by the OSU Molecular Reference Laboratory, per CALGB
20202; however patients who (1) are >= 75 years; and/or (2) have an ejection
fraction of < 40%; and/or (3) have a performance status of > 2, may be
registered to CALGB 20202 and registered and treated on CALGB 11002 prior to
receiving the FLT3 mutation and CBF molecular screening results from CALGB 20202

- Absence of FLT3 mutation (ITD or point mutation) determined by the OSU Molecular
Reference Laboratory, per CALGB 20202; however patients who (1) are >= 75 years;
and/or (2) have an ejection fraction of < 40%; and/or (3) have a performance status
of > 2, may be registered to CALGB 20202 and registered and treated on CALGB 11002
prior to receiving the FLT3 mutation and CBF molecular screening results from CALGB
20202

- AML patients with an antecedent hematologic disorder (AHD) or myelodysplastic
syndrome (MDS) are eligible for this trial provided that they have not received
treatment for their AHD or MDS with cytotoxic chemotherapy (e.g.,cytarabine,
daunorubicin, etc.), decitabine, or bortezomib

- Patients may have been previously treated with azacitidine if their last dose
was ≥ 90 days prior to starting CALGB-11002

- AML patients with therapy-related myeloid neoplasms (t-MN) are eligible if they have
not received radiation therapy or chemotherapy (not including hormonal therapy) for
their primary malignancy or disorder for > 6 months

- Must be registered on CALGB-8461 (Cytogenetic Studies in Acute Leukemia)

- No prior treatment for acute myeloid leukemia except:

- Emergency leukapheresis

- Emergency treatment for hyperleukocytosis with hydroxyurea

- Cranial radiotherapy (RT) for CNS leukostasis (one dose only)

- Growth factor/cytokine support

- No other concurrent chemotherapy (except hydroxyurea) and/or radiotherapy