title: Hematologic and cytogenetic responses to imatinib mesylate in chronic myelogenous leukemia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is caused by the BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase, the product of the Philadelphia chromosome. Imatinib mesylate, formerly STI571, is a selective inhibitor of this kinase.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 532 patients with late--chronic-phase CML in whom previous therapy with interferon alfa had failed were treated with 400 mg of oral imatinib daily. Patients were evaluated for cytogenetic and hematologic responses. Time to progression, survival, and toxic effects were also evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Imatinib induced major cytogenetic responses in 60 percent of the 454 patients with confirmed chronic-phase CML and complete hematologic responses in 95 percent. After a median follow-up of 18 months, CML had not progressed to the accelerated or blast phases in an estimated 89 percent of patients, and 95 percent of the patients were alive. Grade 3 or 4 nonhematologic toxic effects were infrequent, and hematologic toxic effects were manageable. Only 2 percent of patients discontinued treatment because of drug-related adverse events, and no treatment-related deaths occurred.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Imatinib induced high rates of cytogenetic and hematologic responses in patients with chronic-phase CML in whom previous interferon therapy had failed.
authors.affiliation: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA. hkantarj@mdanderson.org
authors.forename: Hagop
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kantarjian
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sawyers
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hochhaus
authors.forename: Francois
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guilhot
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schiffer
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gambacorti-Passerini
authors.forename: Dietger
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Niederwieser
authors.forename: Debra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Resta
authors.forename: Renaud
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Capdeville
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Zoellner
authors.forename: Moshe
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Talpaz
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Druker
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Goldman
authors.forename: Stephen G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: Nigel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ottmann
authors.forename: Pascale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cony-Makhoul
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Facon
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stone
authors.forename: Carole
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tallman
authors.forename: Randy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schuster
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Loughran
authors.forename: Alois
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gratwohl
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mandelli
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Saglio
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lazzarino
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baccarani
authors.forename: Enrica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Morra
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001549:Benzamides; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D003582:Cytogenetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010677:Philadelphia Chromosome; D010879:Piperazines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011379:Prognosis; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012044:Regression Analysis
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001549:Benzamides; D010879:Piperazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate