title: Use of imatinib mesylate in elderly patients in Northern Ireland: evidence of comparable haematological and molecular responses to younger patients.
abstract: Advanced age is an indicator of poor prognosis in chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). Since obtaining its UK licence in 2001, the tyrosine kinase inhibitor imatinib mesylate has effected a paradigm shift in the treatment of CML. We compared survival and molecular response rates in elderly patients to younger patients presenting with CML since the introduction of imatinib. Twenty-five patients aged >60 years were identified. No significant survival difference was found when this group was compared with younger patients. In the elderly group, 53% of those with molecular data (36% of all elderly patients) had a major molecular response as assessed by real time quantitative PCR (RT-PCR). The advent of imatinib therapy appears to have ameliorated much of the negative impact of advancing age on survival in patients with CML.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Belfast City Hospital, 97 Lisburn Rd, Belfast BT9 7AB, UK.
authors.forename: O M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Sheehy
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Irvine
authors.forename: R J G
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Cuthbert
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Humphreys
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: McMullin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001549:Benzamides; D017321:Clinical Trials, Phase I as Topic; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D009660:Northern Ireland; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011379:Prognosis; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001549:Benzamides; D010879:Piperazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate