New treatment approaches for chronic myelogenous leukemia.
Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is a myeloproliferative disease characterized by a specific translocation t(9;22)(q34;q11) that results in the transcription and translation of fusion proteins with constitutively activated tyrosine kinase activity and transduction along several signaling pathways. Identification and characterization of many of the members of this cascade of events has generated new drugs that are able to target specific segments of that chain. Most notable among these are the tyrosine kinase inhibitor compounds such as ST1571. Their activity in many CML patients who have become resistant to standard treatments such as interferon alfa or who have developed transformation into accelerated and blastic phases has recently been demonstrated in phase I clinical trials. Other agents and new drugs are being identified. This review provides a concise overview over some of these agents and their role in the treatment of CML today.
Faderl
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Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030, USA.
Kantarjian
H M
HM
Talpaz
M
M
O'Brien
S
S
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D015398:Signal Transduction
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases