Title:Second-Generation Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors as First-Line Treatment Strategy in Newly Diagnosed Chronic Phase Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Patients
VOLUME: 12 ISSUE: 4
Author(s):M. Breccia and G. Alimena
Affiliation:Dept. of Human Biotechnologies and Hematology, Via Benevento 6, 00161 Roma, Italy.
Keywords:Chronic myeloid leukemia, dasatinib, first-line, imatinib, nilotinib
Abstract:Recent results of phase II trials which used dasatinib or nilotinib as single agent, or phase III trials comparing
second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors to imatinib, showed greater potency of these two inhibitors in newly
diagnosed chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients in chronic phase (CP). In the present review we detail and
summarize clinical results of both agents as first-line therapeutic strategy, and also discuss on critical points emerged from
the last follow-up of trials comparing new generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors with imatinib. In terms of safety, dasatinib
and nilotinib have shown favorable toxicity profile, with peculiar and distinct pattern of adverse events. Based on these
results, USA FDA approved both drugs as first-line treatment in newly diagnosed CML: now several therapeutic
strategies are available to treat patients at onset of disease. Longer follow-up is however needed to prove the advantages
of faster and deeper responses in terms of disease progression compared to imatinib.
