Prolonged treatment with imatinib mesylate in patients with advanced chronic myeloid leukemia causes a reduction of bcr/abl mRNA levels independent of cytogenetic response.
Bcr/abl mRNA levels were monitored in 13 patients with chronic myeloid leukemia receiving imatinib mesylate over a period of 78 weeks. During treatment median bcr/abl mRNA levels progressively declined from 77.2 normalized dose (nD) at baseline to 11.28 nD after 13 weeks ( P<0.05) and to 1.28 nD after 78 weeks ( P<0.05). After 13 weeks, bcr/abl mRNA levels were significantly lower in cytogenetic responders compared to nonresponders ( P<0.05), but subsequent decrease in the transcript levels caused the loss of any correlation to the cytogenetic status. These results suggest that bcr/abl mRNA levels may reflect cytogenetic response only during the early phases of imatinib therapy.
Cariani
E
E
III Laboratory, Hospital of Brescia, P.le Spedali Civili 1, 25123, Brescia, Italy. ecariani@hotmail.com
Capucci
M
M
Micheletti
M
M
Spalenza
F
F
Zanella
I
I
Albertini
A
A
Rossi
G
G
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001549:Benzamides; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / Q000235:genetics*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics*; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001549:Benzamides; D010879:Piperazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl