A long-term time course of colorimetric assessment of the effects of imatinib mesylate on skin pigmentation: a study of five patients

BACKGROUND: Imatinib mesylate (IM), the first-line treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that targets those proteins involved in BCR-ABL signal transduction in CML, c-kit (KIT) and platelet-derived growth-factor (PDGFR) receptor. The use of IM has been associated with cutaneous reactions. In the last 2 years numerous studies have focused the attention on hypopigmentations, depigmentations and photosensitivity developing after the initiation of IM therapy. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of IM therapy on the skin pigmentation of five patients affected by CML. METHODS: Skin pigmentation measurements were performed with a Minolta CR-200 Chromameter. results: All the studied patients show the gradual lightening of the skin on unexposed areas over the treatment with IM. In particular, this explorative colorimetric study indicates the association between IM and skin depigmentation with a significant increase of luminance value (L*) (P = 0.001) and a significant decrease of the pigmentation value (b*) (P = 0.028). CONCLUSION: Even if we do not know the clinical significance of the skin depigmentation caused by IM, the regulatory role of KIT and its ligand stem cell factor in melanocyte development and survival seems to suggest an objective mechanism of action for IM in the pathogenesis of this cutaneous depigmentation.     

Anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity of targeted kinase inhibitors: Repurposing clinically available drugs for COVID-19 therapy

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains a major public health concern, and vaccine unavailability, hesitancy, or failure underscore the need for discovery of efficacious antiviral drug therapies. Numerous approved drugs target protein kinases associated with viral life cycle and symptoms of infection. Repurposing of kinase inhibitors is appealing as they have been vetted for safety and are more accessible for COVID-19 treatment. However, an understanding of drug mechanism is needed to improve our understanding of the factors involved in pathogenesis. We tested the in vitro activity of three kinase inhibitors against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), including inhibitors of AXL kinase, a host cell factor that contributes to successful SARS-CoV-2 infection. Using multiple cell-based assays and approaches, gilteritinib, nintedanib, and imatinib were thoroughly evaluated for activity against SARS-CoV-2 variants. Each drug exhibited antiviral activity, but with stark differences in potency, suggesting differences in host dependency for kinase targets. Importantly, for gilteritinib, the amount of compound needed to achieve 90% infection inhibition, at least in part involving blockade of spike protein-mediated viral entry and at concentrations not inducing phospholipidosis (PLD), approached a clinically achievable concentration. Knockout of AXL, a target of gilteritinib and nintedanib, impaired SARS-CoV-2 variant infectivity, supporting a role for AXL in SARS-CoV-2 infection and supporting further investigation of drug-mediated AXL inhibition as a COVID-19 treatment. This study supports further evaluation of AXL-targeting kinase inhibitors as potential antiviral agents and treatments for COVID-19. Additional mechanistic studies are needed to determine underlying differences in virus response.     

Renal cell carcinoma: review of novel single-agent therapeutics and combination regimens.

A search of the Medline database and ASCO 2003 conference proceedings was conducted to identify clinical trials currently underway using single-agent therapy for renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Combination trials were identified using the ASCO 2003 conference proceedings. Fourteen single-agent therapies employing different mechanisms of action were identified in the published literature: imatinib mesylate (Gleevec); bevacizumab (Avastin); thalidomide (Thalomid); gefitinib (ZD1839) (Iressa); cetuximab (IMC-C225) (Erbitux); bortezomib (PS-341) (Velcade); HSPPC-96 (Oncophage); BAY 59-8862; ABT-510; G250; CCI-779; SU5416; PTK/ZK; and ABX-EGF. Six distinct fields of clinical research have emerged: monoclonal antibodies, small molecules, vaccines, second-generation taxanes, nonapeptides and immunomodulators. Five combination regimens, primarily biological response modifiers (interleukin-2 or interferon-alpha), chemotherapy- or thalidomide-based, were identified. All therapies demonstrated acceptable toxicity profiles. Clinical benefit was assessed based on each study's reported criteria: antitumor response (regression or stability) ranged from 5% to 71%. In the past several years, significant advances in the underlying biological mechanisms of RCC, particularly the role of tumor angiogenesis, have permitted the design of molecularly targeted therapeutics. Based on preliminary and limited studies, combination therapies offer the greatest clinical benefit in the management of this malignancy, although additional basic research is still warranted.     

Optic disc edema as a possible complication of Imatinib mesylate (Gleevec)

BACKGROUND: Imatinib is effective for a variety of hematologic and nonhematologic malignancies. Well-known ocular side effects are periorbital edema, epiphora, extraocular muscle palsy, and blepharoconjunctivitis. However, optic disc edema has not been reported as a complication of imatinib mesylate. Herein, we describe a patient with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) who developed optic disc edema during treatment with imatinib. CASE: A 14-year-old Korean girl was referred to ophthalmology for a 3-week history of photopsia in both eyes. She had started taking imatinib daily 2 months previously for CML. At the initial exam, slit lamp showed optic disc edema in both eyes, even though visual acuity was 20/20 and other optic nerve function evaluations were within normal limits. We recommended to the oncologist discontinuation of the imatinib treatment. OBSERVATIONS: When the patient was followed for 1 week after stopping imatinib treatment, the frequency of photopsia decreased and the optic disc edema improved. Because a second examination 3 weeks after discontinuation of imatinib revealed much improved optic disc edema, she restarted the imatinib treatment. No ocular side effects have been noted so far. CONCLUSIONS: Optic disc edema should be considered one of the complications associated with imatinib. We propose discontinuation of the treatment for a short period when optic disc edema occurs.     

接受伊马替尼一线治疗的慢性髓性白血病慢性期患者应何时换用2代TKI

慢性期慢性髓性白血病患者接受伊马替尼一线治疗后,虽然大部分患者可显著获益,但仍有相当比例的患者不能获得满意疗效。如果患者未获得满意疗效,则依然存在疾病进展风险。因此,对于伊马替尼治疗失败或疗效欠佳的患者,需要考虑转换其他替代治疗,以得到最大获益。研究显示伊马替尼治疗失败的患者换用第2代TKI——尼洛替尼治疗获益显著。本文综述了伊马替尼治疗失败的患者换用尼洛替尼后的疗效并对换用时机进行探讨。     

Reducing uncertainty in health-care resource allocation

A key task for health policymakers is to optimise the outcome of health care interventions. The pricing of a new generation of cancer drugs, in combination with limited health care resources, has highlighted the need for improved methodology to estimate outcomes of different treatment options. Here we introduce new general methodology, which for the first time employs continuous hazard functions for analysis of survival data. Access to continuous hazard functions allows more precise estimations of survival outcomes for different treatment options. We illustrate the methodology by calculating outcomes for adjuvant treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumours with imatinib mesylate, which selectively inhibits the activity of a cancer-causing enzyme and is a hallmark representative for the new generation of cancer drugs. The calculations reveal that optimal drug pricing can generate all win situations that improve drug availability to patients, make the most of public expenditure on drugs and increase pharmaceutical company gross profits. The use of continuous hazard functions for analysis of survival data may reduce uncertainty in health care resource allocation, and the methodology can be used for drug price negotiations and to investigate health care intervention thresholds. Health policy makers, pharmaceutical industry, reimbursement authorities and insurance companies, as well as clinicians and patient organisations, should find the methodology useful.     

甲磺酸伊马替尼治疗进展期慢性粒细胞白血病临床疗效观察

目的:观察甲磺酸伊马替尼治疗慢性粒细胞白血病进展期患者的临床疗效。方法:选择31例慢性粒细胞白血病进展期患者,分为伊马替尼治疗组(治疗组12例)和对照组(19例),分别给予甲磺酸伊马替尼和联合化疗治疗,观察并比较2组间血液学有效率及不良反应耐受性等指标的变化。结果:治疗组总的血液学有效率为41.7%,对照组总的血液学有效率为5.3%,2组间比较差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。治疗组患者药物不良反应发生率较对照组轻且容易耐受。结论:甲磺酸伊马替尼对进展期慢性粒细胞白血病患者有较好的疗效,且毒副反应轻,病人耐受性好。     

27例成人Ph染色体阳性急性淋巴细胞白血病的临床分析

目的：研究伊马替尼及造血干细胞移植治疗Ph＋急性淋巴细胞白血病（ALL）的临床疗效。方法收集初诊 Ph＋ALL患者27例,19例采用伊马替尼联合化疗诱导治疗（IVD组8例,伊马替尼联合VDLP组8例,伊马替尼联合VDP组3例）,其余8例给予VDLP常规化疗。22例达完全缓解（CR）后给予伊马替尼联合化疗序贯治疗,3例给予常规维持及巩固化疗,定期监测血常规、骨穿、ABL基因突变及转阴情况。6例行造血干细胞移植,其中1例为自体移植。结果伊马替尼联合化疗诱导治疗C R率可达89．5％,诱导死亡率为0;常规化疗组诱导C R率为50．0％,诱导死亡率为12．5％,两组相比较,差异有统计学意义（P＜0．05）。伊马替尼联合化疗诱导治疗组中位缓解持续时间为（10．0±1．4）个月,而常规化疗组仅为2．0个月（P＜0．05）。移植患者2年总生存（OS）率75．0％,无病生存期（DFS）为83．3％;未移植患者2年OS率为14．0％,DFS率为12．6％;但两组患者OS率差异无统计学意义（P＞0．05）,而DFS差异明显（P＜0．05）。BCR／ABL转阴患者的OS及DFS均明显高于未转阴患者。结论伊马替尼联合化疗诱导治疗Ph＋ALL能提高患者的CR率和缓解持续时间,造血干细胞移植能提高患者的DFS率。     

伊马替尼治疗慢性髓系白血病临床疗效的相关影响因素分析

目的重点分析伊马替尼治疗慢性髓系白血病( CML)慢性期的临床疗效与危险度分层之间的相互关系。方法对98例 CML 慢性期患者,服用伊马替尼前通过Sokal评分、Hasford评分进行危险度分层,比较不同组间的临床疗效是否具有统计学意义。结果98例患者中,3个月达到血液学缓解( CHR)、部分细胞遗传学缓解( PCyR)的占97.8%及86.4%,6个月达到完全细胞遗传学缓解( CCyR)的比例占82.9%,12个月达到分子学缓解( MMR)的比例占54.5%。入组患者均根据Sokal评分计算危险度分层,服药3个月后低危组、中危组及高危组达到PCyR的比例分别为94.4%、82.6%、66.7%( P=0.104),6个月低危组、中危组及高危组达到CCyR的比例分别为88.2%、76.9%、100.0%(P=0.319),12个月低危组、中危组达到MMR的比例分别为52.4%、65.0%( P=0.412)。根据入组患者服用伊马替尼前情况,有46例患者进行了Hasford分层,低危组21例、中危组23例,高危组2例,3个月达到PCyR的比例分别为90.5%、91.3%、50.0%(P=0.191),随访到6个月,低危组、中危组及高危组达到CCyR的比例分别为83.3%、94.4%、100.0%(P=0.528),随访到12个月,低危组及中危组达到MMR的比例分别为45.5%、58.3%( P=0.842)。结论伊马替尼治疗CML疗效好,低、中危组比高危组更易获得较好的疗效,且坚持足量应用更易获得较好的疗效。