Therapeutic options for chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) resistant to 400 to 600 mg imatinib are limited. Escalating imatinib doses may overcome resistance. Dasatinib, a significantly more potent inhibitor of BCR-ABL, is safe and effective in this population. Patients with imatinibresistant chronic-phase (CP) CML were randomized 2:1 to 140 mg dasatinib (n ‫؍‬ 101) or 800 mg imatinib (n ‫؍‬ 49). With a median follow up of 15 months, complete hematologic responses were observed in 93% and 82% of patients receiving dasatinib and high-dose imatinib (P ‫؍‬ .034), respectively. Dasatinib resulted in higher major cytogenetic response rates (52%) than high-dose imatinib (33%) (P ‫؍‬ .023); this included complete cytogenetic response in 40% and 16% (P ‫؍‬ .004). Major molecular responses were also more frequent with dasatinib (16% versus 4%; P ‫؍‬ 0.038). Treatment failure (hazard ratio [HR], 0.16; P < .001) and progression-free survival (HR, 0.14; P < .001) both favored dasatinib. Superficial edema (42% versus 15%) and fluid retention (45% versus 30%) were more prevalent with imatinib; pleural effusion was more common with dasatinib (17% versus 0%). Grade 3 to 4 nonhematologic toxicity was minimal. Cytopenias were more frequent and severe with dasatinib. Dasatinib represents a safe and effective therapy for CP-CML resistant to conventional imatinib doses with improved cytogenetic and molecular response rates and progression-free survival relative to high-dose imatinib. (Blood. 2007;109:5143-5150)

As first-line treatment for patients with CLL, alemtuzumab demonstrated significantly improved PFS, time to alternative treatment, ORR and CR, and minimal residual disease-negative remissions compared with chlorambucil, with predictable and manageable toxicity.

No abstract

The addition of cladribine to the standard induction regimen is associated with increased rate of complete remission and improved survival of adult patients with AML.