Leukemia patients experienced molecular remission after imatinib treatment

05-01-2006

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients might experience molecular remission after imatinib mesylate treatment.

According to recent research from France, "Imatinib mesylate induces a complete cytogenetic response (CCR) in many patients with CML. However, the ultimate goal of therapy for CML is complete elimination of Philadelphia chromosome positive cells or BCR-ABL rearrangements."

"We studied molecular responses in CML patients in CCR after imatinib treatment," explained M. Colombat and colleagues, INSERM E217. "Real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction analysis were used to monitor BCR-ABL levels in 59 CCR patients. Negative results were confirmed by two different techniques performed in two different laboratories. Patients were considered in complete molecular remission if they had 4 undetectable analyses from 2 separate samples taken 3 months apart. The median follow-up was 41 months (17-53). The median BCR-ABL/ABL ratio at the time of CCR was .3% (0-9.88).

"Patients were split into 2 groups: group A (n=43) comprised patients with a detectable BCR-ABL/ABL ratio throughout the follow-up and group B (n=16) included those with an undetectable level of BCR-ABL/ABL (<10-5) i.e. in complete molecular remission. No relapses were observed in group B, while 13 group A patients lost their CCR. The probability of losing CCR in this group was 33.2%>+/-18.0. By Cox regression analysis the best factor for predicting the probability of achieving molecular remission was having a CCR at 6 months (p=.038) or at 3 months (p=.024)."

The researchers concluded, "Molecular remission after imatinib treatment, i.e. BCRABL/ABL <10-5 in peripheral blood, is not a rare event, particularly in patients achieving CCR at 6 months."

Colombat and colleagues published their study in Haematologica - the Hematology Journal (Molecular remission in chronic myeloid leukemia patients with sustained complete cytogenetic remission after imatinib mesylate treatment. Haematologica, 2006;91(2):162-168).

For additional information, contact F.X. Mahon, University of Bordeaux 2, INSERM, Laboratory Hematopoiese Normale & Pathology, E217, 146 Rue Leo Saignat, F-33076 Bordeaux, France.

Publisher contact information for the Haematologica - the Hematology Journal is: Ferrata Storti Foundation, Strada Nuova 134, 27100 Pavia, Italy.

Keywords: Bordeaux, France, BCRABL, Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, Diagnosis, Diagnostics, Cancer Drugs, Enzymes, Enzymology, Genetics, Hematology, Imatinib Mesylate, Oncology, Peripheral Blood, Pharmaceuticals, Proteins, Proteomics, Cancer Therapy.

This article was prepared by Clinical Oncology Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2006, Clinical Oncology Week via NewsRx.com.