When do you stop imatinib in CML?

Imatinib (IM) can safely be discontinued in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) who have had undetectable minimal residual disease (UMRD) for at least 2 years. We report the final results of the Stop Imatinib (STIM1) study with a long follow-up.

When can I stop taking imatinib?

With a median follow-up of more than 6 years after treatment discontinuation, the STIM1 study demonstrates that [imatinib] can safely be discontinued in patients with a sustained deep molecular response with no late molecular recurrence.

How long does CML stay in remission?

Curing CML Is the Ultimate Goal But only about 20%–25% of all CML patients can successfully stop taking the drugs and remain in remission for 3 years or longer, he said, and these patients still must be closely monitored.

How long does the average person live with CML?

Historically, the median survival of patients with CML was 3-5 years from the time of diagnosis. Currently, patients with CML have a median survival of 5 or more years. The 5-year survival rate has more than doubled, from 31% in the early 1990s to 70.6% for patients diagnosed from 2011 to 2017.

Can CML patients live normal life?

Since the development of imatinib and other tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), the prognosis for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) has markedly improved, such that most patients diagnosed with CML can now expect to live with their disease rather than die from it.

When is it safe to stop CML treatment?

“For CML patients who are in a sustained deep remission—with very low levels of leukemia cells in the blood for at least 2 years—it’s safe to stop treatment, and doctors should encourage their patients” to try stopping, said Ehab Atallah, M.D., of the Medical College of Wisconsin, who led the study.

What is the first line of treatment for CML?

There are three phases of CML: chronic phase, accelerated phase, and blast crisis phase. Most cases of CML are diagnosed relatively early, in the chronic phase. The recommended first-line treatment for the chronic phase of CML is tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy.

Can a patient stop treatment with chronic myeloid leukemia?

In clinical trials so far, typically about half of these patients can stop treatment without the CML returning. Another option might be lowering the dose of the TKI, which can reduce side effects. If the CML does return after stopping or lowering the dose of the TKI, it’s been found to respond well when the original treatment is restarted.

How long do you have to take nilotinib to stop CML?

It can also cost insurers more than $100,000 a year for a single patient. To be eligible to stop nilotinib under the new labeling, patients must have taken the drug for at least 3 years, and there must be evidence that almost no cells in their blood harbor the genetic mutation that causes CML—known as a sustained molecular response.