Current concerns of undertreatment and overtreatment in chronic myeloid leukemia based on European LeukemiaNet 2013 recommendations.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this paper is to indicate optimal tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) administration practices based on European LeukemiaNet (ELN) 2013 recommendations for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Likewise, current concerns of undertreatment and overtreatment with TKIs during the long-term clinical course of CML will be outlined.

AREAS COVERED: Currently available TKIs for the management of CML are reviewed. The survival benefit of TKIs (imatinib, dasatinib, nilotinib, bosutinib, ponatinib) for the CML is excellent. The CML and TKI literature search was made in PubMed with particular focus on the clinical trials, recommendations, guidelines and expert opinions, as well as the ELN CML 2013 recommendations.

EXPERT OPINION: Initial TKI treatment for low-risk chronic phase CML is imatinib 400 mg; high-Sokal risk and/or CML patients with complex karyotypic abnormalities would require more powerful second-generation TKIs (dasatinib 100 mg or nilotinib 600 mg). Absence of early molecular response after 6 months, complete cytogenetic response after 12 months and major molecular response after 18 months may require a more powerful TKI switch. If one of the two second-generation TKIs (nilotinib or dasatinib) was used as first-line therapy and failed, the other (dasatinib or nilotinib) could be administered.