Relapse following discontinuation of imatinib mesylate therapy for FIP1L1/PDGFRA-positive chronic eosinophilic leukemia: implications for optimal dosing

Blood. 2007 Nov 15;110(10):3552-6. doi: 10.1182/blood-2007-07-100164. Epub 2007 Aug 20.

Abstract

Although imatinib is clearly the treatment of choice for FIP1L1/PDGFRA-positive chronic eosinophilic leukemia (CEL), little is known about optimal dosing, duration of treatment, and the possibility of cure in this disorder. To address these questions, 5 patients with FIP1L1/PDGFRA-positive CEL with documented clinical, hematologic, and molecular remission on imatinib (400 mg daily) and without evidence of cardiac involvement were enrolled in a dose de-escalation trial. The imatinib dose was tapered slowly with close follow-up for evidence of clinical, hematologic, and molecular relapse. Two patients with endomyocardial fibrosis were maintained on imatinib 300 to 400 mg daily and served as controls. All 5 patients who underwent dose de-escalation, but neither of the control patients, experienced molecular relapse (P < .05). None developed recurrent symptoms, and eosinophil counts, serum B12, and tryptase levels remained suppressed. Reinitiation of therapy at the prior effective dose led to molecular remission in all 5 patients, although 2 patients subsequently required increased dosing to maintain remission. These data are consistent with suppression rather than elimination of the clonal population in FIP1L1/PDGFRA-positive CEL and suggest that molecular monitoring may be the most useful method in determining optimal dosing without the risk of disease exacerbation. This trial was registered at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov as no. NCT00044304.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage
  • Benzamides
  • Biomarkers, Pharmacological / analysis
  • Biopsy
  • Chronic Disease
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Dosage Calculations*
  • Eosinophils / cytology
  • Eosinophils / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Hypereosinophilic Syndrome / drug therapy*
  • Hypereosinophilic Syndrome / genetics
  • Hypereosinophilic Syndrome / pathology
  • Imatinib Mesylate
  • Leukocyte Count
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / analysis
  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / genetics*
  • Piperazines / administration & dosage*
  • Pyrimidines / administration & dosage*
  • Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha / analysis
  • Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha / genetics*
  • Recurrence
  • Remission Induction
  • Withholding Treatment*
  • mRNA Cleavage and Polyadenylation Factors / analysis
  • mRNA Cleavage and Polyadenylation Factors / genetics*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Benzamides
  • Biomarkers, Pharmacological
  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion
  • Piperazines
  • Pyrimidines
  • mRNA Cleavage and Polyadenylation Factors
  • Imatinib Mesylate
  • FIP1L1-PDGFRA fusion protein, human
  • Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT00044304