Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
2100747 | Best Practice & Research Clinical Haematology | 2009 | 15 Pages |
Abstract
Imatinib has revolutionized the therapy of chronic myeloid leukaemia. However the complete eradication of leukaemic stem cells is still a matter of discussion. Interferon (IFN) has been used in the past with success. However the proportion of patients who achieved sustained complete cytogenetic response was small. Recently, in addition to its direct antineoplastic effect and immunomodulatory activity, IFN has been shown to stimulate the quiescent leukaemic stem cells. Thus there is now a rational for combining Imatinib and IFN. Large prospective phase III trials are in good progress to demonstrate in humans the usefullness of a combination therapy using Imatinib and IFN.
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Authors
François Guilhot, Lydia Roy, Pierre-Jean Saulnier, Joëlle Guilhot,