Impact of Imatinib Adherence on the Cytogenetic Response in Pediatric Chronic Myeloid Leukemia - Chronic Phase

The authors aimed to study the impact of adherence to imatinib during initial 6 mo on the cytogenetic response in pediatric chronic myeloid leukemia - chronic phase (CML CP). The hospital records of pediatric CML patients (age ≤18 y) from 2009 through 2012, were analyzed retrospectively for the drug adherence and cytogenetic response (CyR) at 6 mo. Forty eight children were analyzed, with the median age of 13 y (range 5–18) and slight male preponderance (M:F- 1.18:1). Sokal scores were low, intermediate and high in 14 (29.3 %), 26 (54.1 %), 8 (16.6 %) children respectively. Only a little more than half of the children were adherent (58 %). At the end of 6 mo, complete cytogenetic response (CCyR) was achieved by 78.5 % of adherent children as compared to 5 % of non-adherent children. Majority (80 %) of the non-adherent children had only a partial cytogenetic response (PCyR). Therefore, it is concluded that most of the adherent children had optimal cytogenetic response at the end of 6 mo and majority of those in the non-adherent group did not attain it.