High Atg7 levels in leukemic AML blasts are associated with shorter remissions. Fresh samples were available from patients with newly diagnosed AML treated with age-appropriate frontline regimens. Among 106 patients achieving complete remission, duration in patients with higher Atg7 (dashed line) levels was shorter than those expressing levels comparable to normal marrow–derived CD34⁺ cells (continuous line) (median 23 versus 49 weeks, P = . 03).