Chronic myeloid leukemia — before and after imatinib (First part)

The first successful experience effective target therapy has been achieved at imatinib administration in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) treatment. Disease early considered practically incurable, now successful controlled using little toxic conservative therapy. During tyrosine kinase inhibitors therapy it is possible to achieve stable hematological and cytogenetic remission at the majority of CML patients, and at same patients leukemic cells do not detected by most sensitive molecular methods. In the first part of article literature data concerning CML pathogenesis, modern phases and risk group criteria, and role of interferon alpha and hematopoietic stem cells transplantation in imatinib and other tyrosine kinase inhibitors era are discussed.