[Imatinib mesylate in treatment of childhood chronic myeloid leukaemia. Preliminary report].
THE AIM of this preliminary study was to estimate the efficacy and adverse events of imatinib, a selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor, in children with chronic myeloid leukaemia.


METHODS
Six children aged 7-12 with follow-up from 5.5 to 25.5 months were enrolled into the study. Imatinib was administered in daily dose 340 mg/m(2) (maximum 400 mg) and was continued for a period from 2.5 to 14.5 months until haematopoietic stem cell transplantation.


RESULTS
Complete haematological remission was achieved in 5 out of 6 patients. Complete and major cytogenetic remission was achieved in 3 and 2 children, respectively. Molecular remission was achieved in 3 children with complete cytogenetic remission. One child with chronic myeloid leukaemia diagnosed at blast crisis demonstrated resistance to imatinib therapy. During imatinib therapy myalgia, ostealgia and mild myelosuppression were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Imatinib seems to be an efficient and well tolerated drug in children with chronic myeloid leukaemia. However, its use in advanced leukaemia may be ineffective. Therefore, further research on the efficacy of imatinib should be carried out as well as the most effective dosage needs to he worked out.
Pogorzała
Monika
M
Katedra i Klinika Pediatrii, Hematologii i Onkologii, Collegium Medicum im. Ludwika Rydygiera, Uniwersytet Mikołaja Kopernika, ul. Curie-Sklodowskiej 9, 85-094 Bydgoszcz, Poland. m.pogorzala@cm.umk.pl
Styczyński
Jan
J
Jankowska
Katarzyna
K
Kurylak
Andrzej
A
Wysocki
Mariusz
M
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001549:Benzamides; D002648:Child; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D010879:Piperazines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012074:Remission Induction; D012107:Research Design; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001549:Benzamides; D010879:Piperazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate