Natural history and staging of chronic myelogenous leukaemia.
The natural history of chronic myelogenous leukaemia has changed in recent years, partly as a result of earlier diagnosis but mostly as a consequence of the availability of effective therapies that have the potential to eradicate the Philadelphia-positive clone. The prognostic models designed in the pre-interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) era based on clinical characteristics of the disease are still useful in identifying different risk groups after treatment with IFN-alpha, but achieving a cytogenetic response with IFN-alpha is now the most important prognostic factor for survival. The significance of other molecular and biological variables remains to be determined.
Cortes
J
J
University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030, USA.
Kantarjian
H M
HM
Giralt
S
S
Talpaz
M
M
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha