[Chronic myeloid leukemia. Diagnostics, therapy and future strategy]

Survival of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) has dramatically improved with the introduction of the BCR-ABL-specific tyrosine kinase inhibitor imatinib. As a rule patients on therapy with imatinib achieve permanent complete cytogenetic and molecular remission. Patients who are primarily refractive to imatinib or lose remission achieved using imatinib are in the minority. This group has a poor prognosis. This article gives a transparent review of the diagnostics necessary when CML is primarily diagnosed and for assessment of the response during the course of the therapy. The guidelines developed for this procedure by the European leukemia network on the type and frequency of surveillance controls as well as the diagnostic criteria for imatinib resistance or suboptimal response will be presented. The indications for allogenic stem cell transplantation and the administration of second generation BCR-ABL inhibitors will be discussed as therapeutic alternatives in cases of imatinib failure in a stage-specific manner. Finally a view on therapy targets and forms of future first-line therapy of CML will be given.