Background

With imatinib therapy, the survival of patients with CML has improved dramatically. In recent years, second generation TKI (2G TKI) led to more increased responses. Despite the demonstrated superiority of efficacy and toxicities as previous treatments, several adverse events of TKIs remain. Because CML treatment is lifelong, it is important for patients to maintain adherent to treatment. Correlations between poor adherence to TKI treatment and adverse events and quality of life (QoL) have been demonstrated among CML patients in clinical settings. The FACT-leu is a validated tool that measures leukemia-specific and more general QoL concerns. However, there are few studies about QoL of CML patients in Korea. Therefore, we evaluated the QoL of CML patients treated with TKIs.

Methods

The CML working party of the Korean society of Hematology was produced by the questionnaire included the questions of FACT-leu. We distributed the questionnaire over the online or offline. QoL of patients with CML was analyzed using these questionnaires.

Results

A total of 384 patients were surveyed between March 2014 and June 2014. Male was 234 (60.94%) patients. Median age was 47 (range 12-71) years. Current taking medication at survey were imatinib (n=197), dasatinib (n=71), nilitinib (n=88), radotinib (n=28). Patients with high compliance of TKI (taking 90% or more drugs) were 88.28% and lower compliance (taking 70% or less drugs) were 1.82%. In queries about poor adherence to TKI therapy, common causes were forgetfulness (18.49%) and adverse events (8.59%). FACT-Leu scale was higher in patients with 2G TKIs than imatinib (122.9 ± 22.65 vs 116.0 ± 25.00 (p=0.005)). Female, older patients, patients with CML in longer time showed meaningful worse QoL in FACT-leu scale. There was no significant difference between dasatinib (122.2±25.5) and nilotinib (124.6±22.06) in FACT-leu scale.

Conclusion

In 2G TKI era, QoL of CML patients seemed that is better than before. Additional prospective studies are warranted using adequate measuring tool of QoL.

Disclosures

No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Topics:
leukemia, myelocytic, chronic, protein-tyrosine kinase inhibitor, quality of life, adverse event, imatinib mesylate, dasatinib, leukemia, nilotinib, toxic effect, korea

Author notes

*

Asterisk with author names denotes non-ASH members.

This icon denotes a clinically relevant abstract

© 2015 by The American Society of Hematology
2015
Sign in via your Institution