title: Durable responses in chronic myeloid leukemia patients maintained with lower doses of imatinib mesylate after achieving molecular remission.
abstract: In the present report, we address the question if the reduction of standard dosage of imatinib mesylate (IM) in imatinib-intolerant chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients with undetectable residual disease may impair their outcome. Four patients are described. The median follow up from the beginning of IM therapy was 35 months (33-59). The median duration of real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RQ-PCR) negativity on IM 200 mg daily was 17 months (4-37). We hypothesize that in IM intolerant CML patients with complete molecular remission, the compound dosage might be safely reduced to a lower than standard dose without to lose the response. A tight molecular monitoring of such patients should be required.
authors.affiliation: Divisione Ematologia 1, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria San Martino, Monoblocco XI piano Ponente, L.go R. Benzi, 10, 16132, Genova, Italy. angelomichele.carella@hsanmartino.it
authors.forename: Angelo Michele
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Carella
authors.forename: Enrica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lerma
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D001549:Benzamides; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual; D010879:Piperazines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D012074:Remission Induction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001549:Benzamides; D010879:Piperazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl