Impact of JAK2V617F-mutation status, allele burden and clearance after allogeneic stem cell transplantation for myelofibrosis
Haefaa Alchalby1, Anita Badbaran1, Tatjana Zabelina1, Guido Kobbe2, Joachim Hahn3, Daniel Wolff3, Martin Bornhäuser4, Christian Thiede4, Herrad Baurmann5, Wolfgang Bethge6, York Hildebrandt1, Ulrike Bacher1, Boris Fehse1, Axel R. Zander1 and Nicolaus Kröger1,*

Conclusion:

Depression is a common problem in oncology, with many possible causal factors, including disease progression, treatment-related toxicities, social issues, and fear about the possibility of death. Thus it is oftentimes difficult to ascertain a relationship between depression and drug exposure. However, a striking pattern emerges from this series of seven patients. All were coping well with their disease psychologically before imatinib/dasatinib therapy, yet developed profound depression during treatment, with many experiencing complete remission or improvement of symptoms after dose reduction or drug discontinuation. Three patients demonstrated significant suicidal ideation—a psychiatric emergency. Interestingly, two patients had relapse of depression after TKI rechallenge and one patient was randomly assigned to the treatment arm of a placebo-controlled trial.

 ABSTRACT 

Background: Tyrosine kinase inhibitors, such as imatinib, are not considered curative for chronic myeloid leukemia – regardless ofthe significant reduction of disease burden during treatment – since they do not affect the leukemic stem cells. However, the stochastic nature of hematopoiesis and recent clinical observations suggest that this view must be revisited.

Imatinib 800 mg Associated With Faster MMR vs Imatinib 400 mg or Imatinib 400 mg Plus Interferon in Previously Untreated Chronic-Phase CML.  June 11, 2010- German CML Study IV: randomized, treatment optimization trial......