Allogeneic stem cell transplantation for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia and acute lymphocytic leukemia after Bcr-Abl kinase mutation-related imatinib failure

Blood. 2006 Aug 15;108(4):1421-3. doi: 10.1182/blood-2006-02-001933. Epub 2006 Apr 6.

Abstract

Resistance to imatinib mesylate is an emerging problem in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), often associated with point mutations in the Bcr-Abl kinase domain. Outcome of patients with such mutations after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (Allo-SCT) is unknown. Ten imatinib-resistant patients with Bcr-Abl kinase mutations received a transplant: 9 had CML (3 in chronic phase, 4 in accelerated phase, and 2 in blast phase) and 1 had Philadelphia-positive acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). Patients harbored 9 different protein kinase mutations (T315I mutation, n = 2). Preparative regimens were ablative (n = 7) and nonablative (n = 3). All patients engrafted; there were no treatment-related deaths. Disease response was complete molecular (CMR; n = 7), major molecular (n = 2), and no response (n = 1). Three patients (mutations Q252H, E255K, and T315I) died of relapse after Allo-SCT. Seven patients are alive (6 in CMR) for a median of 19 months. Allo-SCT remains an important salvage option for patients who develop resistance to imatinib through Bcr-Abl mutations.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Benzamides
  • Blast Crisis / genetics
  • Blast Crisis / metabolism
  • Blast Crisis / mortality
  • Blast Crisis / therapy
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / drug effects
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / genetics*
  • Female
  • Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / genetics*
  • Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / metabolism
  • Graft Survival / drug effects
  • Graft Survival / genetics
  • Humans
  • Imatinib Mesylate
  • Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / genetics
  • Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / metabolism
  • Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / mortality
  • Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / therapy*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Piperazines / administration & dosage
  • Point Mutation*
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / genetics
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / metabolism
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / mortality
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / therapy
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / administration & dosage
  • Pyrimidines / administration & dosage
  • Recurrence
  • Salvage Therapy
  • Stem Cell Transplantation*
  • Transplantation, Homologous
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Benzamides
  • Piperazines
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Pyrimidines
  • Imatinib Mesylate
  • Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl