BACKGROUND: The expression level of Kruppel-associated box (KRAB)-associated protein-1 (KAP1) was assessed in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and its expression and prognostic significance were explored in newly diagnosed AML patients. METHODS: Bone marrow samples were collected from 100 newly diagnosed AML patients (experimental group) and 20 healthy volunteers (control group). Clinical data of the AML patients were collected. The expression levels of KAP1 in bone marrow from both groups were measured using real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR). The relationship between KAP1 expression and clinical-pathological features, as well as prognosis in newly diagnosed AML patients, was analyzed. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to assess the effect of KAP1 expression on overall survival (OS) in AML patients, and the Cox regression model was applied to identify prognostic factors affecting patient outcomes. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, KAP1 expression was significantly elevated in newly diagnosed AML patients (p <
0.05). Statistically significant differences were found between the high and low KAP1 expression groups in terms of age, high bone marrow blast cell count, and poor treatment response (p <
0.05). The OS in the high KAP1 expression group was significantly shorter than that in the low KAP1 expression group (p <
0.05). High KAP1 expression was identified as an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in AML. CONCLUSIONS: High KAP1 expression in AML patients correlates with unfavorable clinicopathological features and poor prognosis. It may serve as a prognostic indicator and potential therapeutic target in AML.