Does a rise in the BCR-ABL1 transcript level identify chronic phase CML patients responding to imatinib who have a high risk of cytogenetic relapse?

Br J Haematol. 2009 May;145(3):373-5. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2141.2009.07646.x. Epub 2009 Mar 12.

Abstract

BCR-ABL1 transcript numbers were monitored in 161 patients who started treatment with imatinib early after diagnosis of chronic myeloid leukaemia in chronic phase and achieved complete cytogenetic responses (CCyR). A confirmed doubling in BCR-ABL1/ABL1 transcript levels was found to be a significant factor for predicting loss of CCyR [relative risk (RR) 8.3, P < 0.0001] and progression to advanced phase (RR 0.07, P = 0.03) provided that the eventual BCR-ABL1/ABL1 transcript level exceeded 0.05%; increases that never exceeded 0.05% had no predictive value. The finding of a kinase domain mutation in a patient in CCyR, though rare, also predicted for loss of CCyR.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Benzamides
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / analysis*
  • Cytogenetic Analysis
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / analysis*
  • Humans
  • Imatinib Mesylate
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Chronic-Phase / diagnosis*
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Chronic-Phase / drug therapy
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Chronic-Phase / mortality
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Mutation
  • Oncogene Proteins v-abl / analysis
  • Phosphotransferases / genetics
  • Piperazines / therapeutic use*
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary / genetics
  • Pyrimidines / therapeutic use*
  • Risk
  • Survival Rate
  • Transcription, Genetic

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Benzamides
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Oncogene Proteins v-abl
  • Piperazines
  • Pyrimidines
  • abl-bcr fusion protein, human
  • Imatinib Mesylate
  • Phosphotransferases
  • Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl