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Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have profoundly improved the clinical outcome for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), but their overall survival is still subnormal and the treatment is associated with adverse events. In a large cohort-study, we assessed the morbidity in 1328 Swedish CML chronic phase patients diagnosed 2002-2017 and treated with TKIs, as compared to that in carefully matched control individuals. Several Swedish patient registers with near-complete nationwide coverage were utilized for data acquisition. Median follow-up was 6 (IQR, 3-10) years with a total follow-up of 8510 person-years for the full cohort. Among 670 analyzed disease categories, the patient cohort showed a significantly increased risk in 142 while, strikingly, no category was more common in controls. Increased incidence rate ratios/IRR (95% CI) for more severe events among patients included acute myocardial infarction (AMI) 2.0 (1.5-2.6), heart failure 2.6 (2.2-3.2), pneumonia 2.8 (2.3-3.5), and unspecified sepsis 3.5 (2.6-4.7). When comparing patients on 2nd generation TKIs vs. imatinib in a within-cohort analysis, nilotinib generated elevated IRRs for AMI (2.9; 1.5-5.6) and chronic ischemic heart disease (2.2; 1.2-3.9), dasatinib for pleural effusion (11.6; 7.6-17.7) and infectious complications, for example, acute upper respiratory infections (3.0; 1.4-6.0). Our extensive real-world data reveal significant risk increases of severe morbidity in TKI-treated CML patients, as compared to matched controls, particularly for 2nd generation TKIs. Whether this increased morbidity may also translate into increased mortality, thus preventing CML patients to achieve a normalized overall survival, needs to be further explored.

In chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), combination therapies with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) aim to improve the achievement of deep molecular remission that would allow therapy discontinuation. IFN-alpha is one promising candidate, as it has long-lasting effects on both malignant and immune cells. In connection with a multicenter clinical trial combining dasatinib with IFN-alpha in 40 patients with chronic-phase CML (NordCML007, NCT01725204), we performed immune monitoring with single-cell RNA and T cell receptor (TCR) sequencing (n = 4, 12 samples), bulk TCR beta sequencing (n = 13, 26 samples), flow cytometry (n = 40, 106 samples), cytokine analyses (n = 17, 80 samples), and ex vivo functional studies (n = 39, 80 samples). Dasatinib drove the immune repertoire toward terminally differentiated NK and CD8+ T cells with dampened functional capabilities. Patients with dasatinib-associated pleural effusions had increased numbers of CD8(+) recently activated effector memory T (Temra) cells. In vitro, dasatinib prevented CD3-induced cell death by blocking TCR signaling. The addition of IFN-alpha reversed the terminally differentiated phenotypes and increased the number of costimulatory intercellular interactions and the number of unique putative epitope-specific TCR clusters. In vitro IFN-alpha had costimulatory effects on TCR signaling. Our work supports the combination of IFN-alpha with TKI therapy, as IFN-alpha broadens the immune repertoire and restores immunological function., De två första författarna delar förstaförfattarskapet.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have profoundly improved the clinical outcome for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), but their overall survival is still subnormal and the treatment is associated with adverse events. In a large cohort-study, we assessed the morbidity in 1328 Swedish CML chronic phase patients diagnosed 2002-2017 and treated with TKIs, as compared to that in carefully matched control individuals. Several Swedish patient registers with near-complete nationwide coverage were utilized for data acquisition. Median follow-up was 6 (IQR, 3-10) years with a total follow-up of 8510 person-years for the full cohort. Among 670 analyzed disease categories, the patient cohort showed a significantly increased risk in 142 while, strikingly, no category was more common in controls. Increased incidence rate ratios/IRR (95% CI) for more severe events among patients included acute myocardial infarction (AMI) 2.0 (1.5-2.6), heart failure 2.6 (2.2-3.2), pneumonia 2.8 (2.3-3.5), and unspecified sepsis 3.5 (2.6-4.7). When comparing patients on 2nd generation TKIs vs. imatinib in a within-cohort analysis, nilotinib generated elevated IRRs for AMI (2.9; 1.5-5.6) and chronic ischemic heart disease (2.2; 1.2-3.9), dasatinib for pleural effusion (11.6; 7.6-17.7) and infectious complications, for example, acute upper respiratory infections (3.0; 1.4-6.0). Our extensive real-world data reveal significant risk increases of severe morbidity in TKI-treated CML patients, as compared to matched controls, particularly for 2nd generation TKIs. Whether this increased morbidity may also translate into increased mortality, thus preventing CML patients to achieve a normalized overall survival, needs to be further explored.

In chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), combination therapies with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) aim to improve the achievement of deep molecular remission that would allow therapy discontinuation. IFN-alpha is one promising candidate, as it has long-lasting effects on both malignant and immune cells. In connection with a multicenter clinical trial combining dasatinib with IFN-alpha in 40 patients with chronic-phase CML (NordCML007, NCT01725204), we performed immune monitoring with single-cell RNA and T cell receptor (TCR) sequencing (n = 4, 12 samples), bulk TCR beta sequencing (n = 13, 26 samples), flow cytometry (n = 40, 106 samples), cytokine analyses (n = 17, 80 samples), and ex vivo functional studies (n = 39, 80 samples). Dasatinib drove the immune repertoire toward terminally differentiated NK and CD8+ T cells with dampened functional capabilities. Patients with dasatinib-associated pleural effusions had increased numbers of CD8(+) recently activated effector memory T (Temra) cells. In vitro, dasatinib prevented CD3-induced cell death by blocking TCR signaling. The addition of IFN-alpha reversed the terminally differentiated phenotypes and increased the number of costimulatory intercellular interactions and the number of unique putative epitope-specific TCR clusters. In vitro IFN-alpha had costimulatory effects on TCR signaling. Our work supports the combination of IFN-alpha with TKI therapy, as IFN-alpha broadens the immune repertoire and restores immunological function., De två första författarna delar förstaförfattarskapet.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have profoundly improved the clinical outcome for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), but their overall survival is still subnormal and the treatment is associated with adverse events. In a large cohort-study, we assessed the morbidity in 1328 Swedish CML chronic phase patients diagnosed 2002-2017 and treated with TKIs, as compared to that in carefully matched control individuals. Several Swedish patient registers with near-complete nationwide coverage were utilized for data acquisition. Median follow-up was 6 (IQR, 3-10) years with a total follow-up of 8510 person-years for the full cohort. Among 670 analyzed disease categories, the patient cohort showed a significantly increased risk in 142 while, strikingly, no category was more common in controls. Increased incidence rate ratios/IRR (95% CI) for more severe events among patients included acute myocardial infarction (AMI) 2.0 (1.5-2.6), heart failure 2.6 (2.2-3.2), pneumonia 2.8 (2.3-3.5), and unspecified sepsis 3.5 (2.6-4.7). When comparing patients on 2nd generation TKIs vs. imatinib in a within-cohort analysis, nilotinib generated elevated IRRs for AMI (2.9; 1.5-5.6) and chronic ischemic heart disease (2.2; 1.2-3.9), dasatinib for pleural effusion (11.6; 7.6-17.7) and infectious complications, for example, acute upper respiratory infections (3.0; 1.4-6.0). Our extensive real-world data reveal significant risk increases of severe morbidity in TKI-treated CML patients, as compared to matched controls, particularly for 2nd generation TKIs. Whether this increased morbidity may also translate into increased mortality, thus preventing CML patients to achieve a normalized overall survival, needs to be further explored.

In chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), combination therapies with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) aim to improve the achievement of deep molecular remission that would allow therapy discontinuation. IFN-alpha is one promising candidate, as it has long-lasting effects on both malignant and immune cells. In connection with a multicenter clinical trial combining dasatinib with IFN-alpha in 40 patients with chronic-phase CML (NordCML007, NCT01725204), we performed immune monitoring with single-cell RNA and T cell receptor (TCR) sequencing (n = 4, 12 samples), bulk TCR beta sequencing (n = 13, 26 samples), flow cytometry (n = 40, 106 samples), cytokine analyses (n = 17, 80 samples), and ex vivo functional studies (n = 39, 80 samples). Dasatinib drove the immune repertoire toward terminally differentiated NK and CD8+ T cells with dampened functional capabilities. Patients with dasatinib-associated pleural effusions had increased numbers of CD8(+) recently activated effector memory T (Temra) cells. In vitro, dasatinib prevented CD3-induced cell death by blocking TCR signaling. The addition of IFN-alpha reversed the terminally differentiated phenotypes and increased the number of costimulatory intercellular interactions and the number of unique putative epitope-specific TCR clusters. In vitro IFN-alpha had costimulatory effects on TCR signaling. Our work supports the combination of IFN-alpha with TKI therapy, as IFN-alpha broadens the immune repertoire and restores immunological function., De två första författarna delar förstaförfattarskapet.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have profoundly improved the clinical outcome for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), but their overall survival is still subnormal and the treatment is associated with adverse events. In a large cohort-study, we assessed the morbidity in 1328 Swedish CML chronic phase patients diagnosed 2002-2017 and treated with TKIs, as compared to that in carefully matched control individuals. Several Swedish patient registers with near-complete nationwide coverage were utilized for data acquisition. Median follow-up was 6 (IQR, 3-10) years with a total follow-up of 8510 person-years for the full cohort. Among 670 analyzed disease categories, the patient cohort showed a significantly increased risk in 142 while, strikingly, no category was more common in controls. Increased incidence rate ratios/IRR (95% CI) for more severe events among patients included acute myocardial infarction (AMI) 2.0 (1.5-2.6), heart failure 2.6 (2.2-3.2), pneumonia 2.8 (2.3-3.5), and unspecified sepsis 3.5 (2.6-4.7). When comparing patients on 2nd generation TKIs vs. imatinib in a within-cohort analysis, nilotinib generated elevated IRRs for AMI (2.9; 1.5-5.6) and chronic ischemic heart disease (2.2; 1.2-3.9), dasatinib for pleural effusion (11.6; 7.6-17.7) and infectious complications, for example, acute upper respiratory infections (3.0; 1.4-6.0). Our extensive real-world data reveal significant risk increases of severe morbidity in TKI-treated CML patients, as compared to matched controls, particularly for 2nd generation TKIs. Whether this increased morbidity may also translate into increased mortality, thus preventing CML patients to achieve a normalized overall survival, needs to be further explored.

In chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), combination therapies with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) aim to improve the achievement of deep molecular remission that would allow therapy discontinuation. IFN-alpha is one promising candidate, as it has long-lasting effects on both malignant and immune cells. In connection with a multicenter clinical trial combining dasatinib with IFN-alpha in 40 patients with chronic-phase CML (NordCML007, NCT01725204), we performed immune monitoring with single-cell RNA and T cell receptor (TCR) sequencing (n = 4, 12 samples), bulk TCR beta sequencing (n = 13, 26 samples), flow cytometry (n = 40, 106 samples), cytokine analyses (n = 17, 80 samples), and ex vivo functional studies (n = 39, 80 samples). Dasatinib drove the immune repertoire toward terminally differentiated NK and CD8+ T cells with dampened functional capabilities. Patients with dasatinib-associated pleural effusions had increased numbers of CD8(+) recently activated effector memory T (Temra) cells. In vitro, dasatinib prevented CD3-induced cell death by blocking TCR signaling. The addition of IFN-alpha reversed the terminally differentiated phenotypes and increased the number of costimulatory intercellular interactions and the number of unique putative epitope-specific TCR clusters. In vitro IFN-alpha had costimulatory effects on TCR signaling. Our work supports the combination of IFN-alpha with TKI therapy, as IFN-alpha broadens the immune repertoire and restores immunological function., De två första författarna delar förstaförfattarskapet.

In chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), combination therapies with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) aim to improve the achievement of deep molecular remission that would allow therapy discontinuation. IFN-alpha is one promising candidate, as it has long-lasting effects on both malignant and immune cells. In connection with a multicenter clinical trial combining dasatinib with IFN-alpha in 40 patients with chronic-phase CML (NordCML007, NCT01725204), we performed immune monitoring with single-cell RNA and T cell receptor (TCR) sequencing (n = 4, 12 samples), bulk TCR beta sequencing (n = 13, 26 samples), flow cytometry (n = 40, 106 samples), cytokine analyses (n = 17, 80 samples), and ex vivo functional studies (n = 39, 80 samples). Dasatinib drove the immune repertoire toward terminally differentiated NK and CD8+ T cells with dampened functional capabilities. Patients with dasatinib-associated pleural effusions had increased numbers of CD8(+) recently activated effector memory T (Temra) cells. In vitro, dasatinib prevented CD3-induced cell death by blocking TCR signaling. The addition of IFN-alpha reversed the terminally differentiated phenotypes and increased the number of costimulatory intercellular interactions and the number of unique putative epitope-specific TCR clusters. In vitro IFN-alpha had costimulatory effects on TCR signaling. Our work supports the combination of IFN-alpha with TKI therapy, as IFN-alpha broadens the immune repertoire and restores immunological function., De två första författarna delar förstaförfattarskapet.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have profoundly improved the clinical outcome for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), but their overall survival is still subnormal and the treatment is associated with adverse events. In a large cohort-study, we assessed the morbidity in 1328 Swedish CML chronic phase patients diagnosed 2002-2017 and treated with TKIs, as compared to that in carefully matched control individuals. Several Swedish patient registers with near-complete nationwide coverage were utilized for data acquisition. Median follow-up was 6 (IQR, 3-10) years with a total follow-up of 8510 person-years for the full cohort. Among 670 analyzed disease categories, the patient cohort showed a significantly increased risk in 142 while, strikingly, no category was more common in controls. Increased incidence rate ratios/IRR (95% CI) for more severe events among patients included acute myocardial infarction (AMI) 2.0 (1.5-2.6), heart failure 2.6 (2.2-3.2), pneumonia 2.8 (2.3-3.5), and unspecified sepsis 3.5 (2.6-4.7). When comparing patients on 2nd generation TKIs vs. imatinib in a within-cohort analysis, nilotinib generated elevated IRRs for AMI (2.9; 1.5-5.6) and chronic ischemic heart disease (2.2; 1.2-3.9), dasatinib for pleural effusion (11.6; 7.6-17.7) and infectious complications, for example, acute upper respiratory infections (3.0; 1.4-6.0). Our extensive real-world data reveal significant risk increases of severe morbidity in TKI-treated CML patients, as compared to matched controls, particularly for 2nd generation TKIs. Whether this increased morbidity may also translate into increased mortality, thus preventing CML patients to achieve a normalized overall survival, needs to be further explored.

Clinical trials show that tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment can be discontinued in selected patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). Although updated CML guidelines support such procedure in clinical routine, data on TKI stopping outside clinical trials are limited. In this retrospective study utilising the Swedish CML registry, we examined TKI discontinuation in a population-based setting. Out of 584 patients diagnosed with chronic-phase CML (CML-CP) in 2007-2012, 548 had evaluable information on TKI discontinuation. With a median follow-up of nine years from diagnosis, 128 (23%) discontinued TKI therapy (>= 1 month) due to achieving a DMR (deep molecular response) and 107 (20%) due to other causes (adverse events, allogeneic stem cell transplant, pregnancy, etc). Among those stopping in DMR, 49% re-initiated TKI treatment (median time to restart 4 center dot 8 months). In all, 38 patients stopped TKI within a clinical study and 90 outside a study. After 24 months 41 center dot 1% of patients discontinuing outside a study had re-initiated TKI treatment. TKI treatment duration pre-stop was longer and proportion treated with second-generation TKI slightly higher outside studies, conceivably affecting the clinical outcome. In summary we show that TKI discontinuation in CML in clinical practice is common and feasible and may be just as successful as when performed within a clinical trial.

Clinical trials show that tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment can be discontinued in selected patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). Although updated CML guidelines support such procedure in clinical routine, data on TKI stopping outside clinical trials are limited. In this retrospective study utilising the Swedish CML registry, we examined TKI discontinuation in a population-based setting. Out of 584 patients diagnosed with chronic-phase CML (CML-CP) in 2007-2012, 548 had evaluable information on TKI discontinuation. With a median follow-up of nine years from diagnosis, 128 (23%) discontinued TKI therapy (>= 1 month) due to achieving a DMR (deep molecular response) and 107 (20%) due to other causes (adverse events, allogeneic stem cell transplant, pregnancy, etc). Among those stopping in DMR, 49% re-initiated TKI treatment (median time to restart 4 center dot 8 months). In all, 38 patients stopped TKI within a clinical study and 90 outside a study. After 24 months 41 center dot 1% of patients discontinuing outside a study had re-initiated TKI treatment. TKI treatment duration pre-stop was longer and proportion treated with second-generation TKI slightly higher outside studies, conceivably affecting the clinical outcome. In summary we show that TKI discontinuation in CML in clinical practice is common and feasible and may be just as successful as when performed within a clinical trial.

Clinical trials show that tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment can be discontinued in selected patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). Although updated CML guidelines support such procedure in clinical routine, data on TKI stopping outside clinical trials are limited. In this retrospective study utilising the Swedish CML registry, we examined TKI discontinuation in a population-based setting. Out of 584 patients diagnosed with chronic-phase CML (CML-CP) in 2007-2012, 548 had evaluable information on TKI discontinuation. With a median follow-up of nine years from diagnosis, 128 (23%) discontinued TKI therapy (>= 1 month) due to achieving a DMR (deep molecular response) and 107 (20%) due to other causes (adverse events, allogeneic stem cell transplant, pregnancy, etc). Among those stopping in DMR, 49% re-initiated TKI treatment (median time to restart 4 center dot 8 months). In all, 38 patients stopped TKI within a clinical study and 90 outside a study. After 24 months 41 center dot 1% of patients discontinuing outside a study had re-initiated TKI treatment. TKI treatment duration pre-stop was longer and proportion treated with second-generation TKI slightly higher outside studies, conceivably affecting the clinical outcome. In summary we show that TKI discontinuation in CML in clinical practice is common and feasible and may be just as successful as when performed within a clinical trial.

Clinical trials show that tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment can be discontinued in selected patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). Although updated CML guidelines support such procedure in clinical routine, data on TKI stopping outside clinical trials are limited. In this retrospective study utilising the Swedish CML registry, we examined TKI discontinuation in a population-based setting. Out of 584 patients diagnosed with chronic-phase CML (CML-CP) in 2007-2012, 548 had evaluable information on TKI discontinuation. With a median follow-up of nine years from diagnosis, 128 (23%) discontinued TKI therapy (>= 1 month) due to achieving a DMR (deep molecular response) and 107 (20%) due to other causes (adverse events, allogeneic stem cell transplant, pregnancy, etc). Among those stopping in DMR, 49% re-initiated TKI treatment (median time to restart 4 center dot 8 months). In all, 38 patients stopped TKI within a clinical study and 90 outside a study. After 24 months 41 center dot 1% of patients discontinuing outside a study had re-initiated TKI treatment. TKI treatment duration pre-stop was longer and proportion treated with second-generation TKI slightly higher outside studies, conceivably affecting the clinical outcome. In summary we show that TKI discontinuation in CML in clinical practice is common and feasible and may be just as successful as when performed within a clinical trial.

Clinical trials show that tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment can be discontinued in selected patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). Although updated CML guidelines support such procedure in clinical routine, data on TKI stopping outside clinical trials are limited. In this retrospective study utilising the Swedish CML registry, we examined TKI discontinuation in a population-based setting. Out of 584 patients diagnosed with chronic-phase CML (CML-CP) in 2007-2012, 548 had evaluable information on TKI discontinuation. With a median follow-up of nine years from diagnosis, 128 (23%) discontinued TKI therapy (>= 1 month) due to achieving a DMR (deep molecular response) and 107 (20%) due to other causes (adverse events, allogeneic stem cell transplant, pregnancy, etc). Among those stopping in DMR, 49% re-initiated TKI treatment (median time to restart 4 center dot 8 months). In all, 38 patients stopped TKI within a clinical study and 90 outside a study. After 24 months 41 center dot 1% of patients discontinuing outside a study had re-initiated TKI treatment. TKI treatment duration pre-stop was longer and proportion treated with second-generation TKI slightly higher outside studies, conceivably affecting the clinical outcome. In summary we show that TKI discontinuation in CML in clinical practice is common and feasible and may be just as successful as when performed within a clinical trial.

A viral contamination of the production plant producing imiglucerase (Cerezyme™) resulted in an unpredicted worldwide shortage of global supplies during 2009-2010. The aim of the study was to describe the effects of dose reduction of enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) in adults with Norrbottnian form of Gaucher disease type 3 (N-GD3). There were ten adults with N-GD3 treated with imiglucerase in the county of Norrbotten in June 2009. Analyzed variables included plasma chitotriosidase activity and concentration of CCL18/PARC, whole blood hemoglobin concentration (Hb) and platelet count (PLT), as well as patients' body weight, subjective complaints and health status measured by the EuroQoL-5D questionnaire. The median duration of ERT shortage lasted for 14 months (10-20 months). The median percentage reduction of imiglucerase dose was 36 % (26-59 %). Hb decreased in four patients, PLT decreased in three patients, chitotriosidase increased in three patients (max. +22 % of baseline), and CCL18/PARC increased in six patients (+14 % to +57 %). The body weight was moderately decreased in one patient. No new bone events were noted. Self-assessment of individual patient's health status was stable in all but one patient. Our results suggest that moderate reduction of ERT dosage lasting for relatively short period of time can lead to worsening in biomarkers of adults with N-GD3. However, this worsening is infrequently translated to clinical worsening of patients. It is possible that CCL18/PARC has a higher sensitivity than chitotriosidase in monitoring of ERT dosing in GD3.

Clinical management guidelines on malignant disorders are generally based on data from clinical trials with selected patient cohorts. In Sweden, more than 95% of all patients diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) are reported to the national CML registry, providing unique possibilities to compile population-based information. This report is based on registry data from 2002 to 2010, when a total of 779 patients (425 men, 354 women; median age, 60 years) were diagnosed with CML (93% chronic, 5% accelerated, and 2% blastic phase) corresponding to an annual incidence of 0.9/100 000. In 2002, approximately half of the patients received a tyrosine kinase inhibitor as initial therapy, a proportion that increased to 94% for younger (<70 years) and 79% for older (>80 years) patients during 2007-2009. With a median follow-up of 61 months, the relative survival at 5 years was close to 1.0 for patients younger than 60 years and 0.9 for those aged 60 to 80 years, but only 0.6 for those older than 80 years. At 12 months, 3% had progressed to accelerated or blastic phase. Sokal, but not European Treatment and Outcome Study, high-risk scores were significantly linked to inferior overall and relative survival. Patients living in university vs nonuniversity catchment areas more often received tyrosine kinase inhibitors up front but showed comparable survival.

Biologic and clinical observations suggest that combining imatinib with IFN-alpha may improve treatment outcome in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). We randomized newly diagnosed chronic-phase CML patients with a low or intermediate Sokal risk score and in imatinib-induced complete hematologic remission either to receive a combination of pegylated IFN-alpha 2b (Peg-IFN-alpha 2b) 50 mu g weekly and imatinib 400 mg daily (n = 56) or to receive imatinib 400 mg daily monotherapy (n = 56). The primary endpoint was the major molecular response (MMR) rate at 12 months after randomization. In both arms, 4 patients (7%) discontinued imatinib treatment (1 because of blastic transformation in imatinib arm). In addition, in the combination arm, 34 patients (61%) discontinued Peg-IFN-alpha 2b, most because of toxicity. The MMR rate at 12 months was significantly higher in the imatinib plus Peg-IFN-alpha 2b arm (82%) compared with the imatinib monotherapy arm (54%; intention-to-treat, P = .002). The MMR rate increased with the duration of Peg-IFN-alpha 2b treatment (< 12-week MMR rate 67%, > 12-week MMR rate 91%). Thus, the addition of even relatively short periods of Peg-IFN-alpha 2b to imatinib markedly increased the MMR rate at 12 months of therapy. Lower doses of Peg-IFN-alpha 2b may enhance tolerability while retaining efficacy and could be considered in future protocols with curative intent.