title: Minimal residual disease-based role of imatinib as a first-line interim therapy prior to allogeneic stem cell transplantation in Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
abstract: Fourteen adults with Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL) were studied to evaluate the role of imatinib prior to allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT). Of these, 12 patients were in complete hematologic response (CHR), and 2 were refractory. Imatinib was administered as an interim schedule after each chemotherapy course. After the first imatinib cycle, 11 patients remained in sustained CHR with a decrease in the BCR-ABL/ABL ratios (0.89 logs), and one refractory patient achieved CHR. Meanwhile, 2 patients were resistant to imatinib. Ten patients receiving a second imatinib cycle following consolidation showed sustained CHR, including 2 molecular CR, with a further decrease in the BCR-ABL/ABL ratios (0.19 logs). Twelve patients underwent SCT in a favorable status, and of these, 11 are still alive in a leukemia-free status at 9 to 28+ months after SCT. First-line imatinib interim therapy appears to be a useful strategy to bridge the time to SCT for patients with Ph+ ALL.
authors.affiliation: Catholic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Center, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul. leeseok@catholic.ac.kr
authors.forename: Seok
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Dong-Wook
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yoo-Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Nak-Gyun
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Yoo-Li
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ji-Yeon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Chun-Choo
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001549:Benzamides; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D007621:Karyotyping; D007700:Kinetics; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012306:Risk; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001549:Benzamides; D010879:Piperazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012313:RNA; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl