Monitoring molecular response in chronic myeloid leukemia.
Before the advent of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy, the evaluation of hematologic and cytogenetic responses was sufficient to gauge treatment efficacy in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia. However, with more potent TKI therapies, the majority of patients achieve complete cytogenetic response. Furthermore, deeper molecular responses are now commonly achieved, necessitating a reliance on molecular monitoring to assess residual leukemic disease. The prognostic significance between molecular responses and duration of complete cytogenetic response, progression-free survival, and event-free survival is described herein. A discussion of the concept of complete molecular response is also provided, and the potential for imatinib treatment discontinuation is evaluated. The implications of rising BCR-ABL1 transcript levels and caveats of molecular monitoring are also described.
Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. Jcortes@mdanderson.org
Jorge
J
Cortes
Alfonso
A
Quintás-Cardama
Hagop M
HM
Kantarjian
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D054316:Biomarkers, Pharmacological / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D020732:Cytogenetic Analysis; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods; D011379:Prognosis; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D054316:Biomarkers, Pharmacological; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl