title: Impact of tyrosine kinase inhibitors on patient outcomes in Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
abstract: Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is a heterogeneous disease that is often associated with several chromosomal and molecular abnormalities. Patients who have the Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome and associated BCR-ABL1 oncogene have a particularly poor prognosis. Currently, allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is the only known curative treatment for Ph+ ALL and facilitating allo-HSCT in eligible patients is a key treatment goal. However, many patients relapse after allo-HSCT, particularly those with measurable residual disease prior to transplantation, and a significant percentage of patients are ineligible for allo-HSCT, particularly older patients. Hence, many patients require additional/alternative therapies to prolong survival. Studies are ongoing to determine the most effective first-line drug regimens for patients who subsequently undergo allo-HSCT and ineligible patients. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors targeted to Bcr-Abl are important novel therapies for Ph+ ALL. Although imatinib administered in combination with chemotherapy is established as the current first-line strategy, relapse is common, even among allo-HSCT recipients. Emerging data indicate that more potent multi-targeted kinase inhibitors (including dasatinib, nilotinib, and bosutinib) have promising efficacy in the first- or second-line setting. Here, the evidence base for existing drug treatments for Ph+ ALL is discussed and emerging therapeutic strategies are explored.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Tromso, Tromso, Norway.
authors.forename: Franz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gruber
authors.forename: Satu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mustjoki
authors.forename: Kimmo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Porkka
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001549:Benzamides; D002648:Child; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D000069439:Dasatinib; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / Q000235:genetics; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy; D010677:Philadelphia Chromosome; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000601:surgery; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019172:Transplantation Conditioning; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D001549:Benzamides; D010879:Piperazines; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011743:Pyrimidines; D013844:Thiazoles; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl; D000069439:Dasatinib