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The outcome and quality of life of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients has remarkably changed with the treatment of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Currently, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is considered mainly as a third line salvage therapy in cases of TKIs resistance or intolerance. Here we describe a patient with chronic phase CML who developed both resistance and late occurrence of s severe thrombo-cytopenia on first and second generation TKIs and eventually underwent HSCT. Although the mechanism of the myelosuppression is not fully understood, we showed for the first time the development of dose dependent platelet antibodies in the presence of TKIs, suggesting the possibility of TKIs induced thrombocytopenia. Our case emphasizes that late development of severe myelosuppression during imatinib treatment is probably an important indication for consideration of early HSCT.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a malignant disease that originates in the bone marrow and is designated by the presence of the Philadelphia (Ph+) chromosome, a translocation between chromosomes 9 and 22. Targeted therapy against CML commenced with the development of small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) exerting their effect against the oncogenic breakpoint cluster region (BCR)-ABL fusion protein. Imatinib emerged as the first successful example of a TKI used for the treatment of chronic-phase CML patients and resulted in significant improvements in response rate and overall survival compared with previous treatments. However, a significant portion of patients failed to respond to the therapy and developed resistance against imatinib. Second-generation TKIs nilotinib and dasatinib were to have higher efficiency in clinical trials in imatinib- resistant or intolerant CML patients compared with imatinib. Identification of novel strategies such as dose escalation, drug combination therapy, and use of novel BCR-ABL inhibitors may eventually overcome resistance against BCR-ABL TKIs. This article reviews the history of CML, including the treatment strategies used prediscovery of TKIs and the preclinical and clinical data obtained after the use of imatinib, and the second-generation TKIs developed for the treatment of CML.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have revolutionized the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Although randomized evidence demonstrates that imatinib (a commercially available TKI) prolongs event–free survival in patients with CML, some patients develop imatinib intolerance or resistance. In addition, imatinib is less effective in patients who have progressed to more advanced disease stages, such as accelerated phase and blastic phase CML. For these reasons, 2nd generation TKIs that can inhibit the BCR-ABL protein more effectively or target additional disease mechanisms have been developed. Two such drugs have also been approved for clinical use by the FDA, nilotinib and dasatinib. Resistance to TKI treatment is thought to be mediated through various mechanisms, the most common of which is BCR-ABL1 mutations. Testing for mutations in BCR-ABL1 may predict lack of response to imatinib or may inform the choice between alternative TKIs.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have revolutionized the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Although randomized evidence demonstrates that imatinib (a commercially available TKI) prolongs event–free survival in patients with CML, some patients develop imatinib intolerance or resistance. In addition, imatinib is less effective in patients who have progressed to more advanced disease stages, such as accelerated phase and blastic phase CML. For these reasons, 2nd generation TKIs that can inhibit the BCR-ABL protein more effectively or target additional disease mechanisms have been developed. Two such drugs have also been approved for clinical use by the FDA, nilotinib and dasatinib. Resistance to TKI treatment is thought to be mediated through various mechanisms, the most common of which is BCR-ABL1 mutations. Testing for mutations in BCR-ABL1 may predict lack of response to imatinib or may inform the choice between alternative TKIs.

The clinical outcome for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) has changed dramatically in the past 15 years. This has been due to the development of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI), compounds which inhibit the activity of the oncogenic BCR-ABL1 protein. Imatinib was the first TKI developed for CML, and it led to high rates of complete cytogenetic responses and improved survival for patients with this disease. However, about 35% of patients in chronic phase treated with imatinib will develop resistance or intolerance to this drug. The recognition of the problem of imatinib failure led to the design of 2nd-generation TKI (dasatinib, nilotinib and bosutinib). These drugs are highly active in the scenario of imatinib resistance or intolerance. More recently, both nilotinib and dasatinib were approved for frontline use in patients with chronic phase CML. Ponatinib represents the last generation of TKI, and this drug has been developed with the aim of targeting a specific BCR-ABL1 mutation (T315I) which arises in the setting of prolonged TKI therapy and leads to resistance to all commercially available TKI. Parallel to the development of specific drugs for treating CML, major advances were made in the field of disease monitoring and standardization of response criteria. In this review we summarize how therapy with TKI for CML has evolved over the last decade.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (cml) is a myeloproliferative disorder whose therapy has changed dramatically since the late 1990s. With the introduction of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor (tki) imatinib mesylate, the treatment outcomes for patients with cml have improved markedly, and hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation is no longer routinely offered as first-line therapy for most patients in chronic phase.

However, resistance to tki therapy is increasingly being recognized, and alternative therapy is needed for this group of patients. In addition, the development of models predicting response to tki therapy is desired, so that appropriate treatment strategies can be used for individual patients. The present report serves to outline the approach to the treatment of cml in British Columbia and to highlight areas of ongoing research.

The International Randomized Study of Interferon vs. STI571 (IRIS) trial that investigated the use of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) imatinib (versus interferon) changed the treatment and outcome of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Long-term follow-up of IRIS patients has defined response parameters and methods of tracking residual disease with cytogenetic testing of bone marrow metaphases and molecular monitoring of BCR-ABL transcripts using quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Cytogenetic and molecular responses are now considered useful surrogates for long-term outcome. Early and robust response to imatinib predicts positive long-term outcomes. However, 15–25% of patients fail initial treatment or become intolerant of imatinib and need increased doses or alternate treatment. Second-line treatment with the second-generation TKIs nilotinib and dasatinib have resulted in favorable rates of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival. Data from the ENESTnd (nilotinib) and DASISION (dasatinib) trials in newly diagnosed chronic-phase CML patients demonstrated more robust and rapid complete cytogenetic (77–80%) and major molecular responses (43–46%) at 12 months compared with imatinib (65–66% and 22–28%). The relationship between a complete cytogenetic response at 12 months and long-term PFS supports a role for second-generation TKIs as first-line treatment of newly diagnosed chronic-phase CML.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) like dasatinib and nilotinib are indicated as second-line treatment for chronic myeloid leukemia resistant or intolerant to the current first-line TKI imatinib. These are agents are well tolerated, but potent and as such should be monitored for potentially serious side-effects like fluid retention and pleural effusions. Here we present key clinical trial data and safety considerations for all FDA approved TKIs in context for effective management of fluid retention and pleural effusions. Altering the dasatinib regimen from 70 mg twice daily to 100 mg daily reduces the risk of pleural effusion for patients taking dasatinib. Should pleural effusion develop, dasatinib should be interrupted until the condition resolves. Patients with a history of pleural effusion risk factors should be monitored closely while taking dasatinib. Patients receiving imatinib and nilotinib are not without risk of fluid retention. All patients should also be educated to recognize and report key symptoms of fluid retention or pleural effusion. Pleural effusions are generally managed by dose interruption/reduction and other supportive measures in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia receiving dasatinib therapy.

Purpose of review

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have revolutionized the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and are now widely accepted as the initial therapy of choice in this disease, supplanting interferon and allogeneic stem cell transplantation. There are currently three drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for front-line treatment of CML: imatinib, nilotinib, and dasatinib. A fourth drug, bosutinib, is expected to win FDA approval in 2011. The goal of this review is to summarize the most recent information on initial treatment of CML and to aid clinicians in managing newly diagnosed CML patients.

Recent findings

Phase III studies comparing imatinib with nilotinib or dasatinib in newly diagnosed CML were published in July 2010, leading to accelerated FDA approval for both of these “second-generation” TKIs for initial therapy of CML. There are significant differences between the agents in terms of frequency and rate of responses, progression-free survival, and side effects. However, the follow-up period on these trials is short, and there are as yet no significant differences in overall survival. Guidelines for monitoring CML patients on TKI therapy have been recently revised.

Summary

Management of newly diagnosed CML patients in the coming decade will begin to resemble antibiotic treatment of infection, with therapy individualized based on patient risk factors, co-morbidities, and tolerability. In addition, the cost of therapy will emerge as an important consideration as generic imatinib becomes available in 2015. In this context, clinical trials to guide decision-making in newly diagnosed CML patients are needed.

Chronic Myeloid Leukemia is the first malignant disorder with a specific genetic abnormality in the background. Known as a disease with an inexorable progression to acute leukemia for many years, its natural history has been dramatically improved by the use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI). They represent the first molecular targeted therapy addressed to a neoplastic disorder. From these new classes of drugs, Imatinib was the first drug ever used, and it remains the standard therapy for patients in chronic phase with CML, having a global survival of 86%, for 7 years. The 2nd generation of TKI (Dasatinib, Nilotinib) is indicated for the patients who are refractory or intolerant to Imatinib. The other TKI have good promises to be efficient on the mutations of BCR–ABL transcript, especially to non–responsive T315I mutation.

The new era of molecular target therapy is a new hope of life for all cancer patients.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is characterized by a Philadelphia chromosome which contains an oncogene, bcr-abl. This oncogene encodes a tyrosine kinase which is constitutively activated. Imatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), has been widely used in the treatment of CML. Dasatinib and nilotinib were recently approved for the treatment of CML. Other TKIs, such as bosutinib, erlotinib, and sunitinib, are under study for the treatment of CML as well as other hematologic and solid malignancies. Skin rash has been reported as one of the most common side effects of the TKIs. Here we present a case of severe skin rash together with unusual symptoms of high fever and diarrhea induced by imatinib in a CML patient. The dermatologic toxicities from a variety of tyrosine kinase inhibitors are reviewed and general principles of management are also discussed.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (cml) results from expression of the constitutive tyrosine kinase activity of the Bcr-Abl oncoprotein. Imatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (tki), is highly effective in the treatment of cml. However, some patients treated with imatinib will fail to respond, will respond suboptimally, or will relapse because of primary or acquired resistance or intolerance. Research activities focusing on the mechanisms that underlie imatinib resistance have identified mutations in the BCR-ABL gene, clonal evolution, and amplification of the BCR-ABL gene as common causes. Cytogenetic and molecular techniques are currently used to monitor cml therapy for both response and relapse. With multiple and more potent therapeutic options now available, monitoring techniques can permit treatment to be tailored to the individual patient based on disease characteristics—for example, according to BCR-ABL mutation profile or to patient characteristics such as certain comorbid conditions. This approach should benefit patients by increasing the potential for better long-term outcomes.

Background

The BCR-ABL1 translocation occurs in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and in 25% of cases with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The advent of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) has fundamentally changed the treatment of CML. However, TKI are not equally effective for treating ALL. Furthermore, de novo or secondary TKI-resistance is a significant problem in CML. We screened a panel of BCR-ABL1 positive ALL and CML cell lines to find models for imatinib-resistance.

Results

Five of 19 BCR-ABL1 positive cell lines were resistant to imatinib-induced apoptosis (KCL-22, MHH-TALL1, NALM-1, SD-1, SUP-B15). None of the resistant cell lines carried mutations in the kinase domain of BCR-ABL1 and all showed resistance to second generation TKI, nilotinib or dasatinib. STAT5, ERK1/2 and the ribosomal S6 protein (RPS6) are BCR-ABL1 downstream effectors, and all three proteins are dephosphorylated by imatinib in sensitive cell lines. TKI-resistant phosphorylation of RPS6, but responsiveness as regards JAK/STAT5 and ERK1/2 signalling were characteristic for resistant cell lines. PI3K pathway inhibitors effected dephosphorylation of RPS6 in imatinib-resistant cell lines suggesting that an oncogene other than BCR-ABL1 might be responsible for activation of the PI3K/AKT1/mTOR pathway, which would explain the TKI resistance of these cells. We show that the TKI-resistant cell line KCL-22 carries a PI3Kα E545G mutation, a site critical for the constitutive activation of the PI3K/AKT1 pathway. Apoptosis in TKI-resistant cells could be induced by inhibition of AKT1, but not of mTOR.

Conclusion

We introduce five Philadelphia-chromosome positive cell lines as TKI-resistance models. None of these cell lines carries mutations in the kinase domain of BCR-ABL1 or other molecular aberrations previously indicted in the context of imatinib-resistance. These cell lines are unique as they dephosphorylate ERK1/2 and STAT5 after treatment with imatinib, while PI3K/AKT1/mTOR activity remains unaffected. Inhibition of AKT1 leads to apoptosis in the imatinib-resistant cell lines. In conclusion, Ph+ cell lines show a form of imatinib-resistance attributable to constitutive activation of the PI3K/AKT1 pathway. Mutations in PIK3CA, as observed in cell line KCL-22, or PI3K activating oncogenes may undelie TKI-resistance in these cell lines.

The BCR-ABL1 oncoprotein transforms pluripotent HSCs and initiates chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Patients with early phase (also known as chronic phase [CP]) disease usually respond to treatment with ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), although some patients who respond initially later become resistant. In most patients, TKIs reduce the leukemia cell load substantially, but the cells from which the leukemia cells are derived during CP (so-called leukemia stem cells [LSCs]) are intrinsically insensitive to TKIs and survive long term. LSCs or their progeny can acquire additional genetic and/or epigenetic changes that cause the leukemia to transform from CP to a more advanced phase, which has been subclassified as either accelerated phase or blastic phase disease. The latter responds poorly to treatment and is usually fatal. Here, we discuss what is known about the molecular mechanisms leading to blastic transformation of CML and propose some novel therapeutic approaches.

Background

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a myeloproliferative disorder of blood stem cells. The tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) imatinib was the first targeted therapy licensed for patients with chronic-phase CML, and its introduction was associated with substantial improvements in response and survival compared with previous therapies. Clinical trial data are now available for the second-generation TKIs (nilotinib, dasatinib, and bosutinib) in the first-, second-, and third-line settings. A qualitative systematic review was conducted to qualitatively compare the clinical effectiveness, safety, and effect on quality of life of TKIs for the management of chronic-, accelerated-, or blast-phase CML patients.

Methods

Included studies were identified through a search of electronic databases in September 2011, relevant conference proceedings and the grey literature.

Results

In the first-line setting, the long-term efficacy (up to 8 years) of imatinib has been confirmed in a single randomized controlled trial (International Randomized Study of Interferon [IRIS]). All second-generation TKIs reported lower rates of transformation, and comparable or superior complete cytogenetic response (CCyR), major molecular response (MMR), and complete molecular response rates compared with imatinib by 2-year follow-up. Each of the second-generation TKIs was associated with a distinct adverse-event profile. Bosutinib was the only second-generation TKI to report quality-of-life data (no significant difference compared with imatinib treatment). Data in the second- and third-line setting confirmed the efficacy of the second-generation TKIs in either imatinib-resistant or -intolerant patients, as measured by CCyR and MMR rates.

Conclusion

Data from first-line randomized controlled trials reporting up to 2-year follow-up indicate superior response rates of the second-generation TKIs compared with imatinib. Current evidence from single-arm studies in the second-line setting confirm that nilotinib, dasatinib, and bosutinib are valuable treatment options for the significant subgroup of patients who are intolerant or resistant to imatinib treatment.

Twenty percent to 30% of CML patients are not being treated according to clinical practice guidelines. The authors review the most recent guidelines published by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and the European LeukemiaNet.

Clinical practice guidelines are developed to improve the quality of care and outcomes for patients. Guidelines facilitate clinical decisions, promote efficient use of health care resources, and provide guidance to practitioners. For chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have changed the paradigm of therapy by lowering the disease burden and by providing more precise monitoring of response. These advances affect treatment guidelines for CML and inform CML clinical trial protocols.

Guidelines developed by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and European LeukemiaNet (ELN) synthesize the best available evidence to support decision-making in the management of CML patients. Both guidelines recognize specific milestones for treatment response. At each time point, the ELN guidelines define overall response benchmarks, and the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines) provide an algorithm that specifies the timing for evaluations of cytogenetic and molecular parameters during therapy. The NCCN Guidelines also include strategies for providing supportive care and for managing toxicities. Molecular monitoring now plays a greater role in CML management. Molecular response as a milestone is currently recommended by the ELN but has not yet been adopted by the NCCN. As evidence continues to accumulate, the NCCN and ELN Guidelines are likely to evolve to reflect new data and standards of care.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a hematopoietic disease characterized by expansion of myeloid blood cells. It is caused by the t(9;22) chromosomal translocation that results in the expression of the fusion tyrosine kinase BCR-ABL. Tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy has led to long-term remissions, but patients remain BCR-ABL+. There is agreement that TKIs do not kill CML stem cells; however, it is controversial whether this is because of a lack of BCR-ABL kinase inhibition in CML stem cells or because CML stem cells do not require BCR-ABL for survival. In this issue of the JCI, Corbin and colleagues provide definitive evidence that BCR-ABL is kinase active in CML stem cells and that TKIs inhibit this kinase activity without affecting CML stem cell survival. Rather, CML stem cells revert to a normal dependence on cytokines for survival and proliferation. These results demonstrate that the CML stem cell is not BCR-ABL addicted and have important implications for developing curative therapeutic approaches to CML.

Background

Resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) remains a challenge in management of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). A better understanding of the BCR-ABL signalling network may lead to better therapy.

Findings

Here we report the discovery of a novel downstream target of BCR-ABL signalling, PRL-3 (PTP4A3), an oncogenic tyrosine phosphatase. Analysis of CML cancer cell lines and CML patient samples reveals the upregulation of PRL-3. Inhibition of BCR-ABL signalling either by Imatinib or by RNAi silencing BCR-ABL reduces PRL-3 and increases cleavage of PARP. In contrast, the amount of PRL-3 protein remains constant or even increased in response to Imatinib treatment in drug resistant cells expressing P210 T315I. Finally, analysis with specific shRNA shows PRL-3 involvement in the proliferation and self-renewal of CML cells.

Conclusions

These data support a role for PRL-3 in BCR-ABL signalling and CML biology and may be a potential therapeutic target downstream of BCR-ABL in TKI resistant mutant cells.

Targeted small molecule drugs have revolutionized treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) over the last decade. These agents interrupt a constitutively active BCR-ABL, the causative agent for CML, by interfering with ATP-dependent ABL tyrosine kinase. Although the efficacy of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) has resulted in overall survival of greater than 90%, TKIs are not curative. Moreover, no currently approved TKIs are effective against the T315I BCR-ABL variant. However, a new generation of TKIs with activity against T315I is on the horizon. We will highlight the clinical utility of historical CML therapeutics, those used today (the 1st and 2nd generation TKIs), and discuss treatment modalities which are under development. Recent advances have illuminated the complexity of CML, especially in within the marrow microenvironment. We contend that the key to curing CML will involve strategies beyond targeting BCR-ABL, since primitive human CML stem cells are not dependent on BCR-ABL. Ultimately, drug combinations or exploiting synthetic lethality may transform responses into definitive cures for CML.

Gefitinib and erlotinib, small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), were the first molecularly targeted agents to become clinically available for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). During the course of their clinical development, it has become clear that the substantial clinical benefit associated with EGFR-TKIs is limited to patients harboring activating mutations of EGFR. Accumulating clinical outcomes in patients with EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC treated with EGFR-TKIs support the notion that this group of individuals constitutes a clinically distinct population. These findings have prompted investigations of the potential role of first-line treatment with EGFR-TKIs in molecularly selected patients, with platinum-based doublet chemotherapy currently being the standard of care for most individuals with advanced NSCLC. This review summarizes the results of recent clinical trials of EGFR-TKIs in selected patients and highlights the efficacy of these drugs in first-line treatment as a form of personalized medicine aimed at improving therapy for advanced NSCLC.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is induced by the oncogenic BCR-ABL1 tyrosine kinase and can be effectively treated for many years with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). However, unless CML patients receive life-long TKI treatment, leukemia will eventually recur; this is attributed to the failure of TKI treatment to eradicate leukemia-initiating cells (LICs). Recent work demonstrated that FoxO factors are critical for maintenance of CML-initiating cells; however, the mechanism of FoxO-dependent leukemia initiation remained elusive. Here, we identified the BCL6 protooncogene as a critical effector downstream of FoxO in self-renewal signaling of CML-initiating cells. BCL6 represses Arf and p53 in CML cells and is required for colony formation and initiation of leukemia. Importantly, peptide inhibition of BCL6 in human CML cells compromises colony formation and leukemia initiation in transplant recipients and selectively eradicates CD34+ CD38− LICs in patient-derived CML samples. These findings suggest that pharmacological inhibition of BCL6 may represent a novel strategy to eradicate LICs in CML. Clinical validation of this concept could limit the duration of TKI treatment in CML patients, which is currently life-long, and substantially decrease the risk of blast crisis transformation.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) revolutionized the treatment of CML-CP. Unfortunately, 25% of TKI-naive patients and 50–90% of TKI-responding patients carry CML clones expressing TKI resistant BCR-ABL1 kinase mutants. We reported that CML-CP leukemia stem and progenitor cell populations accumulate high amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which may result in accumulation of uracil derivatives in genomic DNA. Unfaithful and/or inefficient repair of these lesions generates TKI resistant point mutations in BCR-ABL1 kinase. Using an array of specific substrates and inhibitors/blocking antibodies we found that uracil-DNA glycosylase UNG2 were inhibited in BCR-ABL1 –transformed cell lines and CD34+ CML cells. The inhibitory effect was not accompanied by downregulation of nuclear expression and/or chromatin association of UNG2. The effect was BCR-ABL1 kinase-specific because several other fusion tyrosine kinases did not reduce UNG2 activity. Using UNG2-specific inhibitor UGI we found that reduction of UNG2 activity increased the number of uracil derivatives in genomic DNA detected by modified comet assay and facilitated accumulation of ouabain-resistant point mutations in reporter gene Na+/K+ATPase. In conclusion, we postulate that BCR-ABL1 kinase-mediated inhibition of UNG2 contributes to accumulation of point mutations responsible for TKI-resistance causing the disease relapse, and perhaps also other point mutations facilitating malignant progression of CML.

Imatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) of BCR-ABL, was the standard first-line therapy for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) for almost 10 years. Dasatinib and nilotinib, two newer drugs with higher potency than imatinib against BCR-ABL and activity against most imatinib-resistant BCR-ABL mutations, have each shown superior efficacy compared with imatinib for first-line treatment of chronic-phase CML in randomized phase 3 trials. With 14 months follow-up time, available data suggest no obvious differences in efficacy between dasatinib and nilotinib. Compared with imatinib, dasatinib is associated with higher rates of pleural effusion and thrombocytopenia, but lower rates of edema, gastrointestinal AEs, musculoskeletal AEs, and rash. Nilotinib is associated with higher rates of dermatologic toxicity, headache, and biochemical abnormalities associated with hepatic and pancreatic toxicity compared with imatinib, but lower rates of edema, gastrointestinal AEs, muscle spasm, and neutropenia. Several studies have shown that poor adherence to imatinib detrimentally affects responses and should be considered in patients with a suboptimal response. The different dosing requirements of dasatinib (once daily with or without food) and nilotinib (twice daily with fasting) may be an additional factor in selecting frontline agents. This review compares and contrasts the three FDA approved first line TKI agents.

While most patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) express either e13a2 or e14a2 BCR-ABL1 transcripts, a significant minority expresses variant transcripts, of which e19a2 is the most common. Although considered to have a relatively favourable outcome, reported responses to tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy are variable with molecular monitoring in CML patients with e19a2 BCR-ABL1 transcripts rarely reported. A case of e19a2 BCR-ABL1 CML with marked thrombocytosis is described in which the value of molecular monitoring is emphasised during treatment interruptions, dose reductions, and changes. This case serves to demonstrate the requirement for prospective real-time quantitative PCR (RQ-PCR) assays for patients with variant BCR-ABL1 transcript types and standardisation of such assays to enable modern patient management.

Background

Complete cytogenetic response (CCyR) is the gold standard for response to therapy for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) because it is associated with a survival benefit. However, patients who have failed initial therapy with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) frequently achieve only partial or minor cytogenetic responses. The clinical benefit of such responses is unclear.

Patients and Methods

We analyzed the records of all 165 consecutive patients treated in clinical trials with TKI as second line therapy or beyond after failure to prior imatinib therapy.

Results

A CCyR was achieved with second-line TKI therapy or beyond in 52% of patients, while 7% achieved a partial cytogenetic response (PCyR), 14% a minor cytogenetic response (mCyR), 14% complete hematologic response (CHR) only, and 17% no response. The 3-year survival probability was 98% for those with CCyR, compared to 83% with PCyR, 83% for mCyR, 76% for CHR and 71% for no response. Survival free from transformation rates at 3 years were 93%, 73%, 84%, 88%, and 0%, respectively.

Conclusions

CCyR is associated with the greatest survival benefit among patients treated with 2nd line therapy or beyond and remains the optimal cytogenetic goal of therapy. However, patients with partial and minor cytogenetic response derive a benefit compared to patients who have no response. This benefit should be recognized and evaluated against any alternative option available to a given patient before a change in therapy is recommended.