A. Bosly MD, PhD

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia: accessibility for Belgian patients to recommended treatments?

Editorial for the contribution of A. Janssens et al, entitled “BHS guidelines for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia anno 2012”

Best of EHA

Summary

The six best abstracts submitted at the European Hematology Association (EHA), 17^th Meeting, 2012, Amsterdam were selected for the presidential symposium. Two of them were related to the whole exome analysis: one in T-acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (T-ALL) and one in multiple myeloma (MM).

(BELG J HEMATOL 2012;3:112–113)

Dasatinib (Sprycel®) use in daily clinical practice: a Belgian observational retrospective study in patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia and Philadelphia positive acute lymphatic leukaemia who are resistant or intolerant to prior therapies including imatinib

Summary

This study aimed to collect information on daily clinical use of dasatinib (Sprycel®) in Belgium, when used for treating patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) and Philadelphia chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (Ph+ ALL) with resistance or intolerance to prior therapies including imatinib.

We used an observational retrospective approach to collect data from 84 patients (72 CML and 12 Ph+ ALL) from 23 Belgian centres who received dasatinib in the period between October 1, 2007 and October 31, 2009.

The majority of patients had been diagnosed with chronic phase CML (69%). All patients had received prior treatment with imatinib before initiation of dasatinib. Main reasons for switching to dasatinib were development of resistance (65%) or intolerance (31%). In 89% of chronic and accelerated phase CML patients, dasatinib therapy induced complete haematological response (CHR). Major cytogenetic response (MCyR) was observed in 63% and 67% of chronic and accelerated phase patients, respectively.

This study population is representative for patients receiving dasatinib treatment in Belgium. Dasatinib was well tolerated and patient outcome confirmed dasatinib use has significant clinical value in the treatment of CML and Ph+ ALL patients with resistance or intolerance to prior imatinib therapy.

(BELG J HEMATOL 2012;3:51–58)

Best of ASH

Summary

In the plenary session of the 53^rd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) December 10–13, 2011, San Diego, USA, six oral presentations were selected as the most important contributions to progress in haematology in 2011.

(BELG J HEMATOL 2012;3:27–8)