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Does imatinib mesylate therapy cause growth hormone deficiency?
L Kebapcilar1, O Bilgir, I Alacacioglu
1Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Bozyaka Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey. leventkebapcilar@yahoo.com
Imatinib mesylate therapy may cause growth hormone deficiency (GHD) in chronic myeloid leukemia patients. Further research with larger cohorts is recommended to confirm these findings on GHD.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Hematology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Imatinib mesylate is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor used to treat chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).
- Potential side effects of targeted cancer therapies require thorough investigation.
- Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) can impact patient health and quality of life.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether imatinib mesylate treatment induces growth hormone deficiency (GHD) in patients with CML.
Main Methods:
- Seventeen CML patients receiving imatinib mesylate were assessed.
- Glucagon stimulation test (GST) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) and IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) standard deviation scores (SDSs) were used to diagnose GHD.
- L-dopa test was administered to patients with IGF-I SDSs above -1.8.
Main Results:
- 70% of patients (12/17) exhibited severe GHD based on GST.
- IGF-I SDS and IGFBP-3 SDS were below -1.8 in 70% of patients.
- 52% of subjects met criteria for both severe GHD (GST) and low IGF-I SDS.
Conclusions:
- A significant proportion of CML patients on imatinib mesylate therapy showed signs of GHD.
- Larger studies with control groups are necessary to validate these findings.
- The potential for imatinib mesylate to cause GHD warrants further investigation.
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