Hematopathologic and cytogenetic findings in imatinib mesylate treated chronic myelogenous leukemia patients: 2.5 years' experience.
OBJECTIVE
Imatinib mesylate, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor with specific activity against the breakpoint cluster region--Abelson murine leukemia (BCR-ABL) tyrosine kinase has been developed for treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). Its hematologic and cytogenetic effects have been evaluated in a series of clinical trials. The aim of this study was to report hematologic and cytogenetic response in CML patients during the treatment with imatinib mesylate.


METHODS
A total of 21 patients were treated and observed from July 2006 to December 2008. The median time from CML diagnosis was no more than 12 months, so all the patients received previous treatment with hydroxyurea for which the median time was 3 months. The patients received imatinib mesylate in an effective oral dose of 400 to 800 mg daily, which was followed with peripheral blood counts, bone marrow examination, and cytogenetic studies at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months.


RESULTS
Complete hematologic responses were reported for 19 (90.48%) of 21 patients studied. Among 19 patients who had a response, 16 (86%) did so within 3 months. The best cytogenetic response rate at any time during the study treatment with imatinib mesylate, among 14 patients in which cytogenetic response evaluated was: complete cytogenetic response in 7 (50%) patients, partial cytogenetic response in 6 (42.9%) patients and minor cytogenetic response in 1 (7.1%) patient. No patients had progressed to accelerated or blastic phase. The most frequent adverse effects that seemed to be related to treatment with imatinib mesylate were edema and musculoskeletal pain; overall, most were mild. Only one patient discontinued treatment because of hematologic toxic effects.


CONCLUSIONS
The results obtained in this study confirm that imatinib mesylate induces a complete hematological and cytogenetic response in a high percentage of patients with chronic-phase CML.
Clinical Center Nis, Clinic of Haematology and Clinical Immunology, Nis, Serbia. icojbasic@gmail.com
Irena
I
Cojbasić
Lana
L
Macukanović-Golubović
D000368:Aged; D001549:Benzamides; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010677:Philadelphia Chromosome; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055815:Young Adult
D001549:Benzamides; D010879:Piperazines; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011743:Pyrimidines; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate