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Principal long-term adverse effects of imatinib in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase

Authors Mughal T, Schrieber A

Published 2 December 2010 Volume 2010:4 Pages 315—323

DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/BTT.S5775

Review by Single anonymous peer review

Peer reviewer comments 3



Tariq I Mughal1,2, Andrew Schrieber1
1University of Tennessee Medical College, Memphis, Tennessee, USA; 2Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Hospital, Great Maze Pond, London, UK

Abstract: Imatinib mesylate (IM), an original Abl tyrosine kinase inhibitor, entered the clinics in 1998 for the treatment of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). The drug is universally considered the treatment of choice for most, if not all, patients with CML. Importantly, lessons learned from patients with CML have been applied successfully for the treatment of patients with other disorders where IM has since been found to be active by virtue of its ability to target other kinases, such as c-kit in patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors. IM is associated with mild to moderate toxicity, mostly reversible by dose reduction or discontinuation of the drug. Most adverse effects occur within the first 2 years of starting therapy; however, late effects, many being unique, are now being recognized. In this report, we assess the toxicity associated with IM, with an emphasis on the long-term adverse effects.

Keywords: chronic myeloid leukemia, chronic phase, imatinib mesylate

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