Analysis of Elderly Patients with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

Aims

We aimed to evaluate in clinical results >65 years with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).

Methods

191 CML patients treated with imatinib frontline were evaluated retrospectively. 56 patients who aged >65 years were included our study. The clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of these patients were evaluated.

Results

A total of 56 patients (24 [57.1%] men, 32 [42.9%] women) were evaluated retrospectively. The median age of the patients was 72 years (range 66-92years). Of the patients, 56 (98.2%) were in the chronic phase and one (1.8%) were in the accelerated phase when diagnosed. All of patients (100%) were receiving imatinib as the first-line therapy.

Imatinib treatment induced 51 (91.8%) complete hematological responses at 3 months, 29 (51.8 %) complete cytogenetic responses at 6 months and 37 (66.6%) major molecular responses at 12months.

As a result, nilotinib and dasatinib were used in 28 (50%) patients as second-line therapy because of intolerance 5 (8.9%), primary and soconder unresponsiveness 14 (25%), 9 (16.1%) respectively. Second-line Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) induced 23 complete hematological responses (82.1%) at 3 months, and 20 major molecular responses (71.4%) at 12 months. Fifty-two of 56 patients (92.9%) are still alive. The 5 year median overall survival and progression free survival rates were 92% and 85% respectively.

Conclusion

The prognosis of CML patients has changed with Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI). In our study, we found that the response rate and survival rates elderly patients were similar to the younger patients in the literature.