Study Evaluates Treatment-Free Remission as CML Therapy Goal

By Melissa Badamo - Last Updated: September 27, 2024

A study presented at the Twelfth Annual Meeting of the Society of Hematologic Oncology evaluated treatment-free remission (TFR) as a primary goal of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) therapy.

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“Initially, the primary goal of [CML] treatment was to improve survival. However, the achievement of a stable deep molecular response (DMR, ≤0.0032 IS) has now allowed for treatment discontinuation, making [TFR] a main goal of therapy,” the researchers wrote. “TFR has become a significant aim in CML management in high-income countries.”

In the single-center study, the investigators evaluated outcomes in patients with CML attempting TFR in Armenia. The study included six patients >18 years of age (median age, 55 years) who were enrolled in the Max Foundation’s TFR support program from September 2022 to April 2024. They received polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing monthly for the first six months, every three months for the next six months, then every six months. Before attempting TFR, patients had been treated with imatinib for an average of 14 years.

Two PCR tests were conducted in the 12-month period before attempting TFR. Five patients had undetectable disease, and one patient had ≤0.0032 IS in one test and undetectable disease in the other.

During follow-up, one patient had stable undetectable disease, two patients had a loss in DMR in the third and fourth months and restarted treatment, and two patients had undetectable PCR one month after discontinuing tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

“This preliminary data suggests that TFR can be safely implemented in a low-resource setting and can yield results comparable to those in higher-income countries,” the researchers concluded.

Reference

Meliksetyan K, Voskanyan A, Ghahramanyan N, et al. Treatment free remission in CML in lower resource setting: a single-center experience. Abstract #CML-143. Presented at the Twelfth Annual Meeting of the Society of Hematologic Oncology; Sept. 4-7, 2024; Houston, Texas.

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