Phase II Study of Low-Dose Decitabine in Patients With Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia Resistant to Imatinib Mesylate

Abstract

Decitabine induces hypomethylation and has clinical activity in imatinib refractory chronic myelogenous leukemia. We hypothesize that the inverse correlation between hypomethylation 2 weeks after therapy and response is due to a cell death mechanism of response, whereby resistant cells can withstand more hypomethylation.