Measurement of In Vivo BCR-ABL Kinase Inhibition to Monitor Imatinib-Induced Target Blockade and Predict Response in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

Abstract

In vivo BCR-ABL kinase inhibition can be assessed in the first month of imatinib therapy and may provide a valuable guide to optimization of dosage. The extent of BCR-ABL kinase inhibition is an excellent predictor of cytogenetic and molecular response. These observations suggest that dose adjustment based on in vivo measurements of drug-induced target inhibition could be applied in settings beyond imatinib and may be a more effective approach than using one dose for all patients in targeted anticancer therapy.