Treatment-Free Remission in CML: the US Perspective

Purpose of ReviewChronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) have near-normal life expectancy. However, lifelong TKI therapy is associated with reduced quality of life and significant economic burden. Currently, the management of CML is shifting from continuous TKI therapy towards the goal of TKI cessation which is discussed in this review.Recent FindingsSeveral studies in the last decade have demonstrated the feasibility and safety of TKI discontinuation in selected patients with CML who achieve deep and sustained molecular response with TKI. This has moved prime-time into clinical practice although open questions remain in terms of understanding the disease biology that leads to successful TKI cessation in some patients while not in others.SummaryCessation of TKI for CML patients is a feasible approach. Ongoing research aims to find out optimal strategies to sustain ongoing treatment-free remission (TFR) and increase the number of patients who achieve TFR.