Treatment of Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Philadelphia chromosome positive (Ph(+)) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) includes at least one-quarter of all adults with ALL. Until recently, conventional chemotherapy programs that have been effective in other precursor B-cell ALL cases have been unable to cure patients with this diagnosis. Allogeneic stem cell transplantation early in first remission has been the recommended therapy. The availability of imatinib mesylate and other tyrosine kinase inhibitors and small molecules that affect the BCR/ABL signaling pathways may be changing the treatment paradigm and the prognosis for these patients. The results from clinical trials using imatinib in the frontline setting and in relapsed patients as well as preliminary experience treating imatinib-resistant Ph(+) ALL will be described.