Applying cytogenetic and molecular information in the clinic: implications for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia.

The tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) imatinib mesylate has changed dramatically the outcome of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Most patients achieve a complete cytogenetic response (CCyR), and many also achieve profound molecular responses. These excellent clinical responses translate into very favorable long-term outcomes. The prognostic impact of achieving cytogenetic and molecular responses at specific time points on response duration and survival has made it even more important to appropriately monitor TKI response in patients with CML. To this end, sophisticated molecular techniques are increasingly available to clinical laboratories. The clinical implications of TKI response monitoring in CML are herein reviewed.