Wed Sep 25 03:04:41 UTC 2024: ## New Drug Combo Shows Promise for CML Patients
**Fresno, CA** – Researchers at the SWOG S1712 clinical trial have discovered a potentially game-changing treatment strategy for patients with chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CP-CML). By adding the drug ruxolitinib to standard tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy, researchers have significantly increased the number of patients achieving deep molecular remission, which allows for treatment discontinuation.
CML is often treated with TKIs, but these drugs can be ineffective against leukemic stem cells hiding in the bone marrow. Ruxolitinib has been shown to alter the bone marrow environment, making these stem cells more susceptible to TKIs.
In the S1712 trial, 75 patients with CP-CML whose disease was still detectable on current therapy were randomly assigned to receive either standard TKI treatment alone or TKI plus ruxolitinib.
After a year, patients on the combination therapy showed significantly higher rates of deep molecular response (MR4.0 and MR4.5), indicating a substantial reduction or complete elimination of leukemia-specific RNA.
Moreover, after two years, almost three times as many patients on the ruxolitinib arm were able to discontinue treatment altogether, meeting the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines for remission.
These findings represent a significant advance in the fight against CML. The addition of ruxolitinib to standard TKI therapy offers hope for more patients achieving deep remission and potentially even a cure.
First Piper 