Successful ovarian stimulation and pregnancy in an infertile woman with chronic myeloid leukemia
JOURNAL OF ASSISTED REPRODUCTION AND GENETICS
Authors: Rios, Silvina J.; Martinez-Montesinos, Lorena; Aroca, Cristina; Teruel-Montoya, Raul; Ferrer-Marin, Francisca
Abstract
Background Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) treatment has transformed chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) from a fatal neoplasm to a chronic disease with normal life expectancies. Indeed, half of CML patients are able to discontinue TKI without relapse. However, it seems clearly demonstrated that exposure to TKI may result in fetal malformations. Regarding its effects on fertility, preclinical studies and clinical case reports provide inconclusive evidence. Furthermore, due to the risk of CML relapse after TKI discontinuation, the optimal time to stop TKI represents a real dilemma. Case report We describe a 23-year-old woman who, after more than 6 years with imatinib and 1 year in deep molecular response [(DMR), MR >= 4], interrupted treatment to become pregnant. After 2 failed artificial insemination cycles, she underwent one process of controlled ovarian stimulation, achieving 2 blastocyst-embryos. In the meantime, BCR-ABL1(IS)levels increased despite interferon-alpha therapy, she lost the mayor molecular response (MMR), and the 2 embryos had to be cryopreserved. A stable second MR >= 4.0 was again obtained with nilotinib, and after stopping it, the 2 blastocyst-embryo transfers were unsuccessfully performed. Under DMR, a second ovarian stimulation and in vitro fertilization (IVF) was performed and 1 blastocyst embryo was transferred. This time, she became pregnant and a healthy baby was born. After more than 3 years of follow-up, she remains in treatment-free remission (TFR). Conclusion Compared with imatinib, nilotinib achieves earlier and deeper MR that allows safe and timely pregnancies in infertile CML women through IVF process, while patients remain in TFR after delivery.
Recent advances in Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase inhibitors for overriding T315I mutation
CHEMICAL BIOLOGY & DRUG DESIGN
Authors: Liu, Juan; Zhang, Yuan; Huang, Honglin; Lei, Xiaoyong; Tang, Guotao; Cao, Xuan; Peng, Junmei
Abstract
BCR-ABL is a gene produced by the fusion of the bcr gene and the c-abl proto-oncogene and is considered to be the main cause of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) production. Therefore, the development of selective Bcr-Abl kinase inhibitors is an attractive strategy for the treatment of CML. However, in the treatment of CML with a Bcr-Abl kinase inhibitor, the T315I gatekeeper mutant disrupts the important contact interaction between the inhibitor and the enzyme, resistant to the first- and second-generation drugs currently approved, such as imatinib, bosutinib, nilotinib, and dasatinib. In order to overcome this special resistance, several different strategies have been explored, and many molecules have been studied to effectively inhibit Bcr-Abl T315I. Some of these molecules are still under development, and some are being studied preclinically, and still others are in clinical research. Herein, this review reports some of the major examples of third-generation Bcr-Abl inhibitors against the T315I mutation.