Leukemia patients receiving imatinib should be advised to practice adequate contraception

06-06-2006

Pregnancy among patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) treated with imatinib was discussed.

According to a study from the United States, "Imatinib has potential teratogenicity in animals, but the effect of exposure to imatinib during conception and pregnancy in humans is not known. The records of all patients with CML treated with imatinib were reviewed. We report the experience on 19 pregnancies involving 18 patients (10 females and 8 males) who conceived while receiving imatinib for the treatment of CML."

"All female patients discontinued therapy immediately on recognition of pregnancy," explained P. Ault and colleagues, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. "Three pregnancies (involving 2 female patients and 1 male patient) ended in spontaneous abortion, and 1 patient had an elective abortion. All other pregnancies were uneventful. Two of the 16 babies had minor abnormalities at or shortly after birth (hypospadias in 1 baby and rotation of small intestine in 1 baby) that were surgically repaired. All babies have continued normal growth and development.

"Among female patients who interrupted therapy, 5 of 9 in complete hematologic remission (CHR) at the time of treatment interruption eventually lost CHR, and 6 experienced an increase in Philadelphia chromosome-positive metaphases. At a median of 18 months after resuming therapy with imatinib, 8 patients had a cytogenetic response (complete in 3 patients)."

The researchers concluded, "Although there is no evidence that a brief exposure to imatinib during conception and pregnancy adversely affects the developing fetus, most patients lose their response after treatment interruption. Patients receiving imatinib should be advised to practice adequate contraception."

Ault and colleagues published their study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (Pregnancy among patients with chronic myeloid leukemia treated with imatinib. J Clin Oncol, 2006;24(7):1204-1208).

For more information, contact J. Cortes, University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Unit 428, Dept. Leukemia, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA.

Publisher contact information for the Journal of Clinical Oncology is: American Society Clinical Oncology, 330 John Carlyle St., Ste. 300, Alexandria, VA 22314, USA.

Keywords: Houston, Texas, United States, Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, Contraception, Imatinib, Adverse Drug Reaction, Adverse Drug Event, Adverse Drug Reaction, Gastroenterology, Genetics, Obstetrics, Oncology, Pregnancy, Spontaneous Abortion, Cancer Therapy, Women's Health, Birth Defect, Teratogenicity.

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