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Response to tyrosine kinase inhibitors in chronic myeloid leukemia: experience from a west Asian developing country

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Abstract

Tyrosine Kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have dramatically changed the prospects for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML); however, information on CML and response to TKIs from Asia are limited, particularly from West Asia, including Iraq. To address the latter issue we evaluated and monitored a cohort of 108 Iraqi patients diagnosed as chronic phase-CML, enrolled in a government-sponsored national program. The patients were all treated initially by imatinib mesylate. Ninety-two percent of patients had a complete hematological response, 38 % had a major molecular response, while 79 % had a major cytogenetic response after a median follow-up of 35.7 months. The 3-year Event-Free, Progression-Free, and Overall survival rates were 79.6, 87 and 98.1 %, respectively. A total of 26 patients (24.1 %) were shifted to an alternative TKI (Nilotinib). After one year of therapy in seventeen of the latter patients, 24 % had major molecular response. In conclusion, our results compare favorably with those reported from the West and some Asian countries, and have demonstrated the importance of molecular as well as cytogenetic monitoring, and confirmed the relative success of the national CML program in our country.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Hematology, Nana Kelly Hospital, Erbil, Iraq

    Mohammed Dhahir Ali

  2. Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Duhok, Duhok, Iraq

    Ameer I. Badi

  3. Molecular Laboratory, Public Health Laboratory, Duhok, Iraq

    Shaima S. M. Al-Zebari

  4. Department of Pathology and Scientific Research Center, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Duhok, Duhok, Iraq

    Nasir A. S. Al-Allawi

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  1. Mohammed Dhahir Ali
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  2. Ameer I. Badi
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  3. Shaima S. M. Al-Zebari
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  4. Nasir A. S. Al-Allawi
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Correspondence to Mohammed Dhahir Ali.

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Ali, M.D., Badi, A.I., Al-Zebari, S.S.M. et al. Response to tyrosine kinase inhibitors in chronic myeloid leukemia: experience from a west Asian developing country. Int J Hematol 100, 274–280 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12185-014-1627-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12185-014-1627-6

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