Resolution of leukemic retinopathy following treatment with imatinib mesylate for chronic myelogenous leukemia.
OBJECTIVE
To report a case of leukemic retinopathy before and after treatment with imatinib mesylate (formerly STI-571) for chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML).


METHODS
Interventional case report.


METHODS
A 58-year-old man diagnosed with stable phase CML (SP-CML) presented with blurry vision. Fundoscopy revealed several flame-shaped hemorrhages in the macular region in both eyes. One month after this initial visit, imatinib therapy was initiated.


RESULTS
: The patient noticed improvement in his visual as well as his medical symptoms; on repeat examination 6 months after the initial visit, the retinal hemorrhages had resolved and remained so after 18 months.


CONCLUSIONS
Imatinib appears to be an effective treatment for SP-CML, and the improvement in visual and medical symptoms in our case report correlates with this.
Christoforidis
John B
JB
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Department of Ophthalmology, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA.
DeAngelo
Daniel J
DJ
D'Amico
Donald J
DJ
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001549:Benzamides; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012166:Retinal Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D019572:Retinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D014792:Visual Acuity
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001549:Benzamides; D010879:Piperazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate