Hepatitis B prophylaxis in chronic myeloid leukemia patient on Tyrosine kinase inhibitor with previous hepatitis B infection: Case report and literature review

Hepatitis B virus reactivation is a well-known risk in cancer patients who are receiving cytotoxic chemotherapy and may result in different forms of liver injury including fulminant liver failure and death. There are increasing concerns regarding the risk of Hepatitis B reactivation among chronic myeloid leukemia patients who are receiving tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Reactivation risk is not limited to chronic carrier patients but also involves people who have previous Hepatitis B virus infection. This report describes the importance of starting hepatitis B prophylaxis in a newly diagnosed chronic myeloid leukemia patient who was found to have positive hepatitis B anticore antibody before starting tyrosine kinase inhibitor.