Onkológia 6/2008

TREATMENT OF CHRONIC MYELOID LEUKEMIA IN KHAT BRATISLAVA DURING 2002 – 2007

Chronic myeloid leukemia is a clonal myeloproliferative disorder which is characterized by reciprocal translocation between the long arms of chromosomes 9 and 22. The molecular consequence of this translocation is the generation of the fusion protein BCR-ABL, a constitutively activated tyrosine kinase. In former times the prognosis was not so favourable – the disease was treated only by alogeneic stem cell transplantation which was related with a high risk of peritransplant morbidity and mortality. Now in the age of imatinib and new tyrosine kinase inhibitors, the prognosis and quality of life of these patiens improved rapidly. Although imatinib is highly effective and well tolerated, the development of resistance represents a clinical challenge. We have analysed 86 patients treated in Clinic of Hematology and Blood Transfusion in Bratislava between 2002 – 2007 by imatinib.

Keywords: chronic myeloid leukemia, imatinib, remission