title: Monitoring patients in complete cytogenetic remission after treatment of CML in chronic phase with imatinib: patterns of residual leukaemia and prognostic factors for cytogenetic relapse.
abstract: We monitored BCR-ABL transcript levels by quantitative real-time PCR in 103 patients treated with imatinib for chronic myeloid leukaemia in chronic phase for a median of 30.3 months (range 5.5-49.9) after they achieved complete cytogenetic remission (CCyR). The patients could be divided into three groups: (1) in 32 patients transcript levels continued to decline during the period of observation (nadir BCR-ABL/ABL ratio 0.015%); in five of these patients BCR-ABL transcripts became undetectable on repeated testing, (2) in 42 patients the transcript levels reached a plateau and (3) in 26 patients transcript numbers increased and the initial CCyR was lost. Three patients were not evaluable. Patients who remained in CCyR for at least 24 months appeared to have a low risk of subsequent cytogenetic relapse. We conclude that the pattern of 'residual' disease after achieving CCyR on imatinib is variable: some patients in CCyR show a progressive reduction in the level of residual disease, some reach a plateau where transcript numbers are relatively stable and others relapse with Ph-positive metaphases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Imperial College London at Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marin
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kaeda
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Szydlo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saunders
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fleming
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Andreasson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bua
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Olavarria
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rahemtulla
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dazzi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kanfer
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Goldman
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Apperley
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001549:Benzamides; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D015994:Incidence; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011379:Prognosis; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012008:Recurrence; D012074:Remission Induction; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001549:Benzamides; D010879:Piperazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl