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ASCO Educational Book; 2008
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Philadelphia Chromosome-positive Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: On Target to Improve Outcome

Meir Wetzler, MD

From the Leukemia Section, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY

Author's disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.

Address reprint requests to Meir Wetzler, MD, Leukemia Section, Department of Medicine, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Elm and Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY 14263; e-mail: meir.wetzler{at}roswellpark.org

Overview: The treatment of Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has completely changed since the introduction of the first tyrosine kinase inhibitor, imatinib mesylate, to our armamentarium. Imatinib was initially used as a single agent, and shortly thereafter, it was included in chemotherapy combination regimens and before and after allogeneic and autologous stem cell transplantation. As this review will demonstrate, imatinib mesylate is safe and well tolerated but has some limitations that are being addressed in future clinical trials that will study newer tyrosine kinase inhibitors for Ph-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia.