Health-related quality of life of bosutinib (SKI-606) in imatinib-resistant or imatinib-intolerant chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia

Understanding the impact of second-line tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy on the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of imatinib (IM)-resistant and IM-intolerant chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CP CML) patients is important given the increased survival that comes with therapy. As part of a bosutinib single-arm phase 2 trial, 200 IM-resistant and 88 IM-intolerant CP CML patients’ HRQOL was assessed prior to and throughout treatment with the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Leukemia (FACT-Leu). Little HRQOL impairment was demonstrated at baseline. Over the course of 96 weeks on bosutinib therapy, patients noted statistically significant and/or clinically meaningful improvements on several FACT-Leu scales.