Outcome of four patients with chronic myeloid leukemia after imatinib mesylate discontinuation.
Imatinib mesylate (IM) therapy is effective in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). However, whether it should be discontinued in patients who achieve sustained molecular response is debated. We describe 4 patients with undetectable levels of BCR-ABL transcripts in whom IM therapy was discontinued. Two patients relapsed after 7 and 10 months and promptly responded after restarting therapy; 2 patients are off therapy at the last follow-up visit after 14 and 15 months and are still in complete molecular remission.
Serena
S
Merante
Ester
E
Orlandi
Paolo
P
Bernasconi
Silvia
S
Calatroni
Marina
M
Boni
Mario
M
Lazzarino
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001549:Benzamides; D005260:Female; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012008:Recurrence; D012074:Remission Induction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001549:Benzamides; D010879:Piperazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl