Observational study of chronic myeloid leukemia Italian patients who discontinued tyrosine kinase inhibitors in clinical practice

Authors: Carmen Fava, Giovanna Rege‐Cambrin, Irene Dogliotti, Marco Cerrano, Paola Berchialla, Matteo Dragani, Gianantonio Rosti, Fausto Castagnetti, Gabriele Gugliotta, Bruno Martino, Carlo Gambacorti‐Passerini, Elisabetta Abruzzese, Chiara Elena, Patrizia Pregno, Antonella Gozzini, Isabella Capodanno, Micaela Bergamaschi, Monica Crugnola, Monica Bocchia, Sara Galimberti, Davide Rapezzi, Alessandra Iurlo, Daniele Cattaneo, Roberto Latagliata, Massimo Breccia, Michele Cedrone, Marco Santoro, Mario Annunziata, Luciano Levato, Fabio Stagno, Francesco Cavazzini, Nicola Sgherza, Valentina Giai, Luigia Luciano, Sabina Russo, Pellegrino Musto, Giovanni Caocci, Federica Sorà, Francesco Iuliano, Francesca Lunghi, Giorgina Specchia, Fabrizio Pane, Dario Ferrero, Michele Baccarani, Giuseppe Saglio - Haematologica 2019 cited by 77

<0.001). Eighty-eight percent of patients discontinued as per clinical practice, and reasons for stopping treatment were: toxicity (20%), pregnancy (6%), and shared decision between treating physician and patient (62%). After a median follow up of 34 months (range, 12-161) overall estimated TFR was 62% (95%CI: 56;68). At 12 months, TFR was 68% (95%CI: 62;74) for imatinib, 73% (95%CI: 64;83) for second generation TKI. Overall median time to restart treatment was six months (IQR 4;11). No progressions occurred. Although our study has the limitation of a retrospective study, our experience within the Italian population confirms that discontinuation of imatinib and second generation TKI is feasible and safe in clinical practice.