Natural killer-cell counts are associated with molecular relapse-free survival after imatinib discontinuation in chronic myeloid leukemia: the IMMUNOSTIM study.

ABSTRACT: Despite persistence of leukemic stem cells, patients with chronic myeloid leukemia who achieve and maintain deep molecular responses may successfully stop the tyrosine kinase inhibitor imatinib. However, questions remain unanswered regarding the biological basis of molecular relapse after imatinib cessation. In IMMUNOSTIM, we monitored 51 patients from the French Stop IMatinib trial for peripheral blood T cells and natural killer cells. Molecular relapse-free survival at 24 months was 45.1% (95% CI: 31.44%-58.75%). At the time of imatinib discontinuation, non-relapsing patients had significantly higher numbers of natural killer cells of the cytotoxic CD56^dim subset than had relapsing patients, while CD56^bright natural killer cells, T cells and their subsets did not di

SUBMITTER: Rea D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6643734 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature