Selection pressure exerted by imatinib therapy leads to disparate outcomes of imatinib discontinuation trials.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Chronic myeloid leukemia is successfully managed by imatinib therapy, but the question remains whether treatment must be administered indefinitely. Imatinib discontinuation trials have led to two distinct outcomes: about 60% of patients experienced disease relapse within 6 months of treatment cessation, while the remaining 40% remained disease-free throughout the duration of follow-up. We aimed to investigate the mechanisms underlying these disparate clinical outcomes.

Design and methods

We utilized molecular data from the "Stop Imatinib" trial together with a mathematical framework of chronic myeloid leukemia, based on a four-compartment model that can explain the kinetics of the molecular response to imatinib. This approach was complemented by statistical analys

SUBMITTER: Tang M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3487556 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature