title: Frontline imatinib treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia: no impact of age on outcome, a survey by the GIMEMA CML Working Party.
abstract: The median age of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients is ~60 years, and age is still considered an important prognostic factor, included in Sokal and EURO risk scores. However, few data are available about the long-term outcome of older patients treated with imatinib (IM) frontline. We analyzed the relationship between age and outcome in 559 early chronic-phase CML patients enrolled in 3 prospective clinical trials of Gruppo Italiano Malattie Ematologiche dell'Adulto CML Working Party, treated frontline with IM, with a median follow-up of 60 months. There were 115 older patients (≥ 65 years; 21%). The complete cytogenetic and major molecular response rates were similar in the 2 age groups. In older patients, event-free survival (55% vs 67%), failure-free survival (78% vs 92%), progression-free survival (62% vs 78%), and overall survival (75% vs 89%) were significantly inferior (all P < .01) because of a higher proportion of deaths that occurred in complete hematologic response, therefore unrelated to CML progression (15% vs 3%, P < .0001). The outcome was similar once those deaths were censored. These data show that response to IM was not affected by age and that the mortality rate linked to CML is similar in both age groups. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT00514488 and #NCT00510926.
authors: Department of Hematology and Oncology Seràgnoli, University of Bologna-S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Bologna, Italy.
authors: Gabriele
authors: G
authors: Gugliotta
authors: Fausto
authors: F
authors: Castagnetti
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Palandri
authors: Massimo
authors: M
authors: Breccia
authors: Tamara
authors: T
authors: Intermesoli
authors: Adele
authors: A
authors: Capucci
authors: Bruno
authors: B
authors: Martino
authors: Patrizia
authors: P
authors: Pregno
authors: Serena
authors: S
authors: Rupoli
authors: Dario
authors: D
authors: Ferrero
authors: Filippo
authors: F
authors: Gherlinzoni
authors: Enrico
authors: E
authors: Montefusco
authors: Monica
authors: M
authors: Bocchia
authors: Mario
authors: M
authors: Tiribelli
authors: Ivana
authors: I
authors: Pierri
authors: Federica
authors: F
authors: Grifoni
authors: Giulia
authors: G
authors: Marzocchi
authors: Marilina
authors: M
authors: Amabile
authors: Nicoletta
authors: N
authors: Testoni
authors: Giovanni
authors: G
authors: Martinelli
authors: Giuliana
authors: G
authors: Alimena
authors: Fabrizio
authors: F
authors: Pane
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Saglio
authors: Michele
authors: M
authors: Baccarani
authors: Gianantonio
authors: G
authors: Rosti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001549:Benzamides; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D017326:Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D015466:Leukemia, Myeloid, Chronic-Phase / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001549:Benzamides; D010879:Piperazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate