Dr. Cortes Discusses TKI Cessation in CML

Jorge E. Cortes, MD, professor and deputy chair, Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the success of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) cessation in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).

Of the patients who start treatment with a second-generation TKI, 40% become eligible for treatment discontinuation over time, says Cortes. Of those patients who become eligible, 50% will be able to remain off therapy when their physician stops treatment.

According to Cortes, only 20% of total patients can successfully have treatment discontinuation. These results are very good, Cortes adds, as there was a time when this was thought to not be possible. However, there is still room for improvement.