Monitoring of BCR-ABL levels in chronic myeloid leukemia patients treated with imatinib in the chronic phase: the importance of a major molecular response
Rev. bras. hematol. hemoter
;
33(3): 211-215, June 2011. ilus, tab
Article
in English
| LILACS
| ID: lil-596324
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Real time PCR has become the most common technique to monitor BCR-ABL transcript levels of patients treated with kinase inhibitors. The aim of this study was to evaluate BCR-ABL levels of chronic myeloid leukemia patients treated with imatinib in the chronic phase and correlate the response to therapy and event-free survival.METHODS:
BCR-ABL levels were measured in peripheral blood cell samples using Real time PCR at diagnosis and then every 3 months after starting therapy with imatinib. Major molecular response was defined as a three-log reduction from the standardized baseline value. Major molecular response values were adjusted to international scale using a conversion factor of 1.19. The results are reported as a BCR-ABL/ABL ratio ( percent).RESULTS:
Hematological, major cytogenetic and complete cytogenetic responses were achieved by 57 (95 percent), 45 (75 percent) and 38 (63 percent) patients, respectively. Twenty-four out of sixty patients achieved a major molecular response (40 percent) in a median time of 8.5 months. Overall survival and event free survival were higher for patients with (100 percent) versus patients without (77 percent) a complete cytogenetic response (p-value = 0.01) at 48 months. Patients with complete cytogenetic response and major molecular response had a higher event free survival compared to patients with complete cytogenetic response but without major molecular response (p-value = 0.007).CONCLUSION:
In conclusion, the prognostic impact of achieving complete cytogenetic response and a major molecular response and also the importance of molecular monitoring in the follow-up of chronic myeloid leukemia patients were demonstrated.
Full text:
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Index:
LILACS (Americas)
Main subject:
Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive
/
Environmental Monitoring
/
Protein Kinase Inhibitors
Type of study:
Prognostic study
Limits:
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Rev. bras. hematol. hemoter
Journal subject:
Hematology
Year:
2011
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Brazil
Institution/Affiliation country:
Universidade Estadual de Campinas/BR
/
Universidade Federal do Paraná/BR
/
Universidade de São Paulo/BR
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