Intermittent Imatinib mesylate in children with chronic myeloid leukemia: results and outcome
Imatinib mesylate (IM) has demonstrated to be highly effective in children with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). The main issues remain the long-term side effects in pre-pubertal children and the poor compliance in adolescents. The aims of this study were: a) to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of IM given intermittently to molecular responder (MR) CML children in chronic phase (CP), b) to reduce the long-term side effects of MR patients (pts) who started IM in pre-pubertal age, c) to improve compliance of poorly compliant adolescents in major MR (MMR).