Pregnancy outcome of two patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia treated with imatinib

ABSTRACT

Although chronic myelogenous leukemia in pregnancy is rare, its management and treatment is more difficult and complicated. Treatment of patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia includes bone marrow transplantation, however in less than 30% of patients the donor's organ would be accepted. To this end, cytotoxic therapy is considered as an alternative therapeutic option. This option provides satisfactory hematologic and clinical response, while cytogenetic response is poor. Imatinib [Gleevec] is a new drug with highly specific efficacy in the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia. Prescription of this drug during pregnancy and lactation is not a classic approach and most physicians suggest that this drug should be discontinued during the pregnancy. Here we report the use of imatinib during the pregnancy in two women with chronic myelogenous leukemia