Long-Term Outcomes of Imatinib Treatment for Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

After nearly 11 years of follow-up, long-term administration of imatinib was shown to be associated with prolonged control of chronic myeloid leukemia and no cumulative or late toxic effects have emerged. Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a myeloproliferative neoplasm that is characterized by the Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome and driven by its product, the BCR-ABL1 tyrosine kinase. 1 In 2001, imatinib was introduced as a BCR-ABL1 tyrosine kinase inhibitor and was approved for the treatment of CML on the basis of a high level of activity in phase 2 studies. 2 Early results from the phase 3 International Randomized Study of Interferon and STI571 (IRIS) showed that imatinib at a dose of 400 mg once daily was more active and was associated with fewer side effects than interferon alfa plus cytarabine in patients with . . .