1,721,285 research outputs found

    Molecular Testing in CML between Old and New Methods: Are We at a Turning Point?

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    Molecular monitoring of minimal residual disease (MRD) and BCR-ABL1 kinase domain (KD) mutation testing have a well consolidated role in the routine management of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients, as they provide precious information for therapeutic decision-making. Molecular response levels are used to define whether a patient has an "optimal", "warning", or "failure" response to tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy. Mutation status may be useful to decide whether TKI therapy should be changed and which alternative TKI (or TKIs) are most likely to be effective. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RQ-qPCR) and Sanger sequencing are currently the gold standard for molecular response monitoring and mutation testing, respectively. However, in recent years, novel technologies such as digital PCR (dPCR) and next-generation sequencing (NGS) have been evaluated. Here, we critically describe the main features of these old and novel technologies, provide an overview of the recently published studies assessing the potential clinical value of dPCR and NGS, and discuss how the state of the art might evolve in the next years

    Nilotinib against high dose imatinib for salvage therapy of chronic myeloid leukaemia

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    In 2002, the approval of the BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) imatinib mesylate for the first line treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemia revolutionised therapeutic goals and led to the introduction of novel monitoring schemes and response definitions.1 In 2006–07, the introduction of second-generation TKIs dasatinib and nilotinib (developed to be more potent or more specific inhibitors for BCR-ABL1 and more tolerant of the conformational changes induced by imatinib-resistant kinase domain point mutations) for imatinib-resistant cases further increased treatment expectations

    Mutations in the BCR-ABL1 Kinase Domain and Elsewhere in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

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    Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) has been the first human malignancy to be associated, more than 50 years ago, with a consistent chromosomal abnormality--the t(9;22)(q34;q11) chromosomal translocation. The resulting BCR-ABL1 fusion gene, encoding a tyrosine kinase with deregulated activity, has a central role in the pathogenesis of CML. Ancestral or additional genetic events necessary for CML to develop have long been hypothesized but never really demonstrated. CML can successfully be treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Mutations in the BCR-ABL1 kinase domain might arise, however, that confer resistance to 1 or more of the currently available TKIs. Hence, the critical role of BCR-ABL1 mutation screening for optimal therapeutic management, with the current gold standard technique, conventional sequencing, likely to be replaced soon by ultra-deep sequencing. Mutations in genes other than BCR-ABL1 include ASXL1, TET2, RUNX1, DNMT3A, EZH2, and TP53 in chronic phase patients and RUNX1, ASXL1, IKZF1, WT1, TET2, NPM1, IDH1, IDH2, NRAS, KRAS, CBL, TP53, CDKN2A, RB1, and GATA-2 mutations in advanced phase patients. The latter also display additional cytogenetic abnormalities, including submicroscopic regions of gain or loss that only single nucleotide polymorphism arrays or array comparative genomic hybridization can detect. Whether whole genome/exome sequencing studies will uncover novel mutations relevant for pathogenesis, progression, and risk-adapted therapy is still unclear

    New tyrosine kinase inhibitors in chronic myeloid leukemia

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    The deregulated activity of BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase originating from the t(9;22) chromosomal translocation has been shown to be necessary and sufficient for the transformed phenotype of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) cells. This peculiarity has paved the way for the development of novel therapies specifically targeting the BCR-ABL gene product. The first BCR-ABL inhibitor to come into use in clinical practice, imatinib mesylate, is now the first-choice treatment for all newly diagnosed CML patients, but the initial striking efficacy of this drug has been overshadowed by the development of clinical resistance. The most common mechanisms of resistance include (i) BCR-ABL overexpression, and (ii) BCR-ABL kinase domain mutations disrupting critical contact points between imatinib and BCR-ABL or inducing a transition to a conformation to which imatinib is unable to bind. Several approaches to overcoming resistance have been studied both in vitro and in vivo. They include dose escalation of imatinib, the combination of imatinib with chemotherapeutic drugs, alternative BCR-ABL inhibitors, and inhibitors of kinases acting downstream of BCR-ABL such as Src kinases. Various novel tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) have been synthesized and have now reached the pre-clinical or clinical phase. This review highlights the development of new TKI as specific molecularly targeted therapy and as the principal mechanisms for overcoming imatinib resistance

    Dual tyrosine kinase inhibitors in chronic myeloid leukemia.

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    The Bcr-Abl inhibitor imatinib mesylate induces complete hematologic and cytogenetic remissions in most newly diagnosed chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients, but relatively few of them achieve molecular remission. In addition, imatinib is much less effective in advanced phase-CML as well as in Philadelphia-positive (Ph+) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), mainly due to the development of drug resistance. The challenge for the future is to improve current clinical results with kinase inhibitors in CML, developing strategies that can eradicate residual disease and overcome or prevent resistance. 'Dual' Src and Abl kinase inhibitors are an attractive class of compounds, since (a) these molecules are able to bind Bcr-Abl with less stringent conformational requirements with respect to imatinib, therefore allowing for efficient inhibition of several, resistance-associated mutant forms of Bcr-Abl; (b) Src kinases have been shown to be involved in Bcr-Abl-mediated leukemogenesis as well as upregulated in some patients resistant to imatinib. Here, we review the development, the mode of action and the preclinical or early clinical evaluation of several novel dual Src and Abl kinase inhibitors

    Mechanisms of Disease Progression and Resistance to Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Therapy in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia: An Update

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    Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is characterized by the presence of the BCR-ABL1 fusion gene, which encodes a constitutive active tyrosine kinase considered to be the pathogenic driver capable of initiating and maintaining the disease. Despite the remarkable efficacy of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) targeting BCR-ABL1, some patients may not respond (primary resistance) or may relapse after an initial response (secondary resistance). In a small proportion of cases, development of resistance is accompanied or shortly followed by progression from chronic to blastic phase (BP), characterized by a dismal prognosis. Evolution from CP into BP is a multifactorial and probably multistep phenomenon. Increase in BCR-ABL1 transcript levels is thought to promote the onset of secondary chromosomal or genetic defects, induce differentiation arrest, perturb RNA transcription, editing and translation that together with epigenetic and metabolic changes may ultimately lead to the expansion of highly proliferating, differentiation-arrested malignant cells. A multitude of studies over the past two decades have investigated the mechanisms underlying the closely intertwined phenomena of drug resistance and disease progression. Here, we provide an update on what is currently known on the mechanisms underlying progression and present the latest acquisitions on BCR-ABL1-independent resistance and leukemia stem cell persistence

    Impact of SLC22A1 and CYP3A5 genotypes on imatinib response in chronic myeloid leukemia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

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    Contrasting results have been reported on the role of rs628031 and rs683369 polymorphisms of SLC22A1 and rs776746 of CYP3A5 on imatinib treatment response in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). In the present study, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies to estimate the impact of the above-mentioned gene variants on major molecular response (MMR) or complete cytogenetic response (CCyR) in imatinib-treated CML patients. We performed a comprehensive search through PubMed, Web of Knowledge, and Cochrane databases up to September 2017. The pooled analyses showed association between carriers of SLC22A1 rs628031A allele (GA + AA vs GG, OR: 0.58, 95% CI: 0.38â0.88, P = 0.011) or rs683369G allele (CG + GG vs CC, OR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.42â0.96, P = 0.032) and a lower MMR rate. The combined analyses also revealed a correlation between the dominant (GG + AG vs AA, OR: 2.43, 95%CI: 1.12â5.27, P = 0.024) or the allelic model (G vs A, OR: 1.72, 95% CI: 1.09â2.72, P = 0.020) of CYP3A5 rs776746 with higher CCyR rates. The subsequent sensitivity analysis confirmed the statistical significance of CYP3A5 rs776746 among Asian CML patients (dominant model OR: 3.90; 95%CI: 2.47â6.14, P < 0.001; allelic model OR: 2.08; 95% CI: 1.47â2.95, P < 0.001). In conclusion, the present meta-analysis supports the association of SLC22A1 and CYP3A5 genotypes with clinical imatinib response rates of CML patients, nevertheless further large studies, particularly in Caucasians, are still warranted to provide conclusive evidences

    Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Prognosis and Therapy: Criticisms and Perspectives

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    Ph+ chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a clonal myeloproliferative disease whose clinical course is characterized by progression disease from the early chronic phase (CP) to the fatal blastic phase (BP). This programmed course is closely related to the translocation t(9;22)(q22;q11) and the resulting BCR-ABL1 fusion protein (p210) that drives the leukemic transformation of hematopoietic stem cells. Therefore, the cure of CML can only pass through the abrogation of the Ph+ clone. Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) and interferon-alpha (IFNα) have been proven to reduce the Ph+ clone in a limited proportion of CML population and this translated in a lower rate of progression to BP and in a significant prolongation of survival. Tyrosine-kinase inhibitors (TKIs), lastly introduced in 2000, by preventing the disease blastic transformation and significantly prolonging the survival in up to 90% of the patient population, radically changed the fate of CML. The current therapy with TKIs induces a chronicization of the disease but several criticisms still persist, and the most relevant one is the sustainability of long-term therapy with TKIs in terms of compliance, toxicity and costs. The perspectives concern the optimization of therapy according to the age, the risk of disease, the potency and the safety profiles of the TKIs. The prolongation of survival is the most important end point which should be guaranteed to all patients. The treatment free remission (TFR) is the new goal that we would like to give to an increasing number of patients. The cure remains the main objective of CML therapy
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