Abstract
The understanding and treatment of Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) acute lymphoblastic leukemia have changed rapidly in the past 10 years. The outcome is equally as good as for Ph− disease, and with targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapies in addition to chemotherapy, the novel immunotherapy approaches, and the extension of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (allo-HCT) to older individuals, there is the potential to exceed this outcome. There is particular interest in reducing chemotherapy exposure and considering for whom allo-HCT can be avoided. However, the patient population that can help test these options in clinical trials is limited in number, and the available evidence is often derived from single-arm studies. This paper summarizes outcomes achieved with recent approaches to de novo Ph+ acute lymphoblastic leukemia in the postimatinib era and helps integrate all the available information to assist the reader to make informed choices for patients in an increasingly complex field.
Hematopoietic stem cell transplant versus chemotherapy plus tyrosine kinase inhibitor in the treatment of pediatric Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)
