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Blood, 16 July 2009, Vol. 114, No. 3, pp. 709-718. Prepublished online as a Blood First Edition Paper on April 29, 2009; DOI 10.1182/blood-2009-02-204156. This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Supplemental Methods All Versions of this Article: blood-2009-02-204156v1 114/3/709    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Rights and Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via CrossRef Google Scholar Articles by Olivieri, A. Articles by Bacigalupo, A. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Olivieri, A. Articles by Bacigalupo, A. Related Collections Transplantation Free Research Articles Clinical Trials and Observations Related Articles in Blood Online Social Bookmarking                   What's this?  Previous Article  |  Table of Contents  |  Next Article  TRANSPLANTATION Imatinib for refractory chronic graft-versus-host disease with fibrotic features Attilio Olivieri1, Franco Locatelli2,*, Marco Zecca2, Adele Sanna3, Michele Cimminiello1, Roberto Raimondi4, Guido Gini5, Nicola Mordini6, Adriana Balduzzi7, Pietro Leoni5, Armando Gabrielli8, and Andrea Bacigalupo9,* 1 Department of Hematology, San Carlo Hospital, Potenza; 2 Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Fondazione Instituto Di Ricerca e Cura a Caratiere Scientifica, Policlinico San Matteo, University of Pavia, Pavia; 3 Unit of Bone Marrow Transplantation, Ospedale Regionale per le Microcitemie, Cagliari; 4 Department of Hematology, St Bortolo Hospital, Vicenza; 5 Department of Hematology, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona; 6 Department of Hematology, Santa Croce e Carle Hospital, Cuneo; 7 Department of Pediatric Hematology, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza; 8 Department of Internal Medicine, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona; and 9 Hematology Unit and Stem Cell Transplant Unit San Martino Hospital, Genova, Italy We previously reported that patients with fibrotic, chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) have antibodies activating the platelet-derived growth factor receptor pathway. Because this pathway can be inhibited by imatinib, we performed a pilot study including 19 patients with refractory cGVHD, given imatinib at a starting dose of 100 mg per day. All patients had active cGVHD with measurable involvement of skin or other districts and had previously failed at least 2 treatment lines. Patient median age was 29 years (range, 10-62 years), and median duration of cGvHD was 37 months (range, 4-107 months). The organs involved were skin (n = 17), lung (n = 11), and bowel (n = 5); 15 patients had sicca syndrome. Imatinib-related, grade 3 to 4 toxicity included fluid retention, infections, and anemia. Imatinib was discontinued in 8 patients: in 3 because of toxicity and in 5 because of lack of response (n = 3) or relapse of malignancy (n = 2). Overall response rate at 6 months was 79%, with 7 complete remissions (CRs) and 8 partial remissions (PRs). With a median follow-up of 17 months, 16 patients are alive, 14 still in CR or PR. The 18-month probability of overall survival is 84%. This study suggests that imatinib is a promising treatment for patients with refractory fibrotic cGVHD. CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this? Related Articles in Blood Online: Limited efficacy of imatinib in severe pulmonary chronic graft-versus-host disease Michael Stadler, Renate Ahlborn, Haytham Kamal, Helmut Diedrich, Stefanie Buchholz, Matthias Eder, and Arnold Ganser Blood 2009 114: 3718-3719. [Full Text] [PDF] Response: Imatinib in lung cGVHD of mild to moderate severity Attilio Olivieri, Michele Cimminiello, and Franco Locatelli Blood 2009 114: 3719-3720. [Full Text] [PDF] Magic bullet, part III? Georgia B. Vogelsang Blood 2009 114: 498-499. [Full Text] [PDF] This article has been cited by other articles: D. A. Jacobsohn, A. L. Gilman, A. Rademaker, B. Browning, M. Grimley, L. Lehmann, E. R. Nemecek, K. Thormann, K. R. Schultz, and G. B. Vogelsang Evaluation of pentostatin in corticosteroid-refractory chronic graft-versus-host disease in children: a Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Consortium study Blood, November 12, 2009; 114(20): 4354 - 4360. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] M. Stadler, R. Ahlborn, H. Kamal, H. Diedrich, S. Buchholz, M. Eder, and A. Ganser Limited efficacy of imatinib in severe pulmonary chronic graft-versus-host disease Blood, October 22, 2009; 114(17): 3718 - 3719. [Full Text] [PDF] A. Olivieri, M. Cimminiello, and F. Locatelli Response: Imatinib in lung cGVHD of mild to moderate severity Blood, October 22, 2009; 114(17): 3719 - 3720. [Full Text] [PDF] G. B. Vogelsang Magic bullet, part III? Blood, July 16, 2009; 114(3): 498 - 499. [Full Text] [PDF]

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