Management of chronic myeloid leukaemia in clinical practice in France: results of the French subset of patients from the UNIC study

Abstract

Objective: To assess real-life treatment practices with imatinib for chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukaemia (CP-CML) in France.

Research design and methods: In the observational 'Unmet Needs in CML' (UNIC) study of CML management in Europe, case report forms were completed retrospectively for eligible patients (> or =18 years of age, currently treated for CML) during enrolment (September 2006-March 2007). Results from the subset of patients from France are presented.

Main outcome measures: Primary objectives were to estimate from the collected data the proportions of patients ever treated with imatinib and those experiencing imatinib resistance and/or intolerance as determined by physicians' diagnoses of resistance/intolerance leading to a change in imatinib use. Collected data were analysed descriptively. Secondary descriptive measures included imatinib dose modifications and methods for treatment response monitoring.

Results: Of the 654 French CP-CML patients, 95.9% had received imatinib. Of these, 15% were judged by physicians as imatinib-resistant and 31% as imatinib-intolerant (not mutually exclusive) during treatment, 44% required dose modification and 23% discontinued imatinib. In the 12 months preceding the last observation, 65% had a cytogenetic features analysis and 93% had a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assessment of molecular response. Importantly, and contrasting with European recommendations, 46% of imatinib-resistant patients had never been assessed for BCR-ABL mutations.

Limitations: The observational study design limits data collection and interpretation. The findings are specific to the French healthcare system and may not apply to other countries.

Conclusion: This observational study of CP-CML management in France confirmed that most patients are treated with imatinib, a treatment widely recognised as efficacious. The study highlights opportunities for optimising CML management, as a proportion of patients may require alternative treatment strategies due to imatinib resistance/intolerance. Response monitoring rates differ from recommendations, representing another opportunity for improving care for CP-CML patients through early identification of patients failing current therapy.