title: Imatinib mesylate (STI 571)--a new oral target therapy for chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML).
abstract: The publication provides an up-to-date review of the significance of cytogenetic abnormalities in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and the development of a promising agent with specific molecular target against tyrosine kinase, product of the BCR-ABL fusion gene, namely imatinib mesylate (STI 571, Glivec). The publication summarizes the achieved results with this compound in the chronic phase CML (in patients resistant to interferon and in newly diagnosed patients) further in patients in the accelerated phase and in blast crisis and in patients in relapse after allogeneic stem cells transplantations for CML. The results in Ph+ acute lymphoblastic leukemia are also presented. The mechanisms of resistance to imatinib mesylate and the possibilities how to overcome or circumvent it are mentioned (escalation of the dosage, combination of imatinib with some other treatment modalities as immunotherapy, interferon or convention chemotherapy and development of new drugs).
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Medicine, Division of Clinical Hematology, Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic. ladislavchrobak@seznam.cz
authors.forename: Ladislav
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chrobák
authors.forename: Jaroslava
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Voglová
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001549:Benzamides; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010879:Piperazines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001549:Benzamides; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D010879:Piperazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases