title: Treatment with interferon alpha prior to discontinuation of imatinib in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia.
abstract: Imatinib (IM) is the current first line treatment for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). However, the disease will progress in the majority of patients pausing IM. IFN-α may intensify the response and increase the percentage of patients maintaining remission after IM cessation. Eleven patients with stable (≥ 2 years) complete cytogenetic responses (CCyR) on IM therapy were recruited to the study. They were administered Peg-IFN-α for 9 months before and for 3 months following IM discontinuation. During the 12 months of Peg-IFN-α therapy the remission status improved in five (45%) of the patients. Six (55%) of the patients experienced cytogenetic relapses at a median period of 8 months (range 2-33) after IM withdrawal. All six patients regained CCyR following IM restart. With a median follow up of 47 months (range 35-50), five (45%) out of the 11 studied patients maintain cytogenetic response off IM therapy. The role of Peg-IFN-α in patients pausing IM is to be further evaluated.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer 52621, Israel.
authors.forename: Izhar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hardan
authors.forename: Anfisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stanevsky
authors.forename: Yuliya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Volchek
authors.forename: Tali
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tohami
authors.forename: Ninette
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Amariglio
authors.forename: Luba
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Trakhtenbrot
authors.forename: Maya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koren-Michowitz
authors.forename: Avichai
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shimoni
authors.forename: Arnon
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nagler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001549:Benzamides; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D028761:Withholding Treatment
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D001549:Benzamides; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D010879:Piperazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate