Interferon-α may help prevent molecular relapse of chronic myeloid leukemia after the discontinuation of tyrosine kinase inhibitors. (January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jun, Kong; Ya-zhen, Qin; Xiao-su, Zhao; Hong-Xia, Shi; Yue-Yun, Lai; Kai-yan, Liu; Xiao-jun, Huang; Hao, Jiang
• Is Part Of: Therapeutic advances in hematology. Volume 12(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-01
• Subjects: chronic myeloid leukemia -- discontinuation -- interferon -- tyrosine kinase inhibitor; Hematology -- Periodicals; Hematologic Diseases -- therapy -- Periodicals; Hematology -- Periodicals; 616.15005
• DOI: 10.1177/2040620720986643
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2040-6207

Abstract

Background: Currently, the goal of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) treatment is normal survival and good quality of life without life-long treatment, namely, "treatment-free remission" (TFR). At present, approximately only 50% of patients with CML with a deep molecular response are able to discontinue tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) without experiencing molecular relapse [MR; loss of major molecular response (MMR)]. In addition, prior interferon (IFN) treatment is associated with a higher rate of TFR. Methods: We aimed to evaluate the feasibility of TKI discontinuation in Chinese patients with CML and determine whether IFN could prevent MR when used after TKI discontinuation in patients with 0.0032% < BCR-ABL IS ⩽0.1%. Therefore, we retrospectively analyzed the data of patients with CML who discontinued TKI treatment at our center. Results: Forty-nine patients who discontinued TKI therapy after achieving MR 4.5 were included in this study, and the median follow-up time from TKI discontinuation was 27 (7, 75) months. Nineteen patients eventually lost MMR, and the TFR rate of the 49 patients was 67% (95% confidence interval 53.6%, 80.3%) at 12 months. The duration of MR 4.5 ⩾54 months and duration of imatinib ⩾85 months were significantly associated with a higher TFR rate. Of the 22 patients with 0.0032% < BCR-ABL IS ⩽0.1%, 12 received IFN-α treatment. The median IFN-α therapy duration was nine (2, 18) months, and three patients eventually lost MMR. Three patients discontinued IFN-α after 2, 2.5, and 10 months, and maintained MMR for 9, 8, and 11 months after IFN discontinuation, respectively. Of the 10 patients not receiving IFN-α treatment, eight eventually lost MMR. The MR-free survival rate was significantly different between the patients treated with and those treated without IFN-α over 24 months (70.7% versus 15.0%, p = 0.002). Conclusion: These results indicate that after TKI discontinuation, IFN-α can be administered to patients with 0.0032% < BCR-ABL IS ⩽0.1%, which may help prevent MR.