Second hematologic response and disappearance of the ABL gene mutant clone by cessation of imatinib in a CML patient with resistance to imatinib

Abstract

A seventy-six year old female patient with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), (chronic phase), was treated with imatinib and obtained a major cytogenetic response after 6 months of treatment. However, resistance to imatinib appeared 9 months later due to an ABL gene point mutation, and the patient's platelet count and BCR/ABL positive rate had remarkably increased. We discontinued imatinib and used IFNα or hydroxyurea, resulting in the disappearance of the ABL gene mutation clone. After that, we obtained a secondary hematologic response with the administration of imatinib.