Chronic myeloid leukemia is usually treated first with a imatinib (Gleevec) that targets the protein BCR-ABL. If there is a recurrence due to resistance to the imatinib, individuals are then treated with dasatinib (SPRYCEL), which targets in BCL-ABR in a different way. Unfortunately, resistance to dasatinib is now being seen.A study by researchers led by Charles Sawyers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center suggests that treating patients with both drugs in the beginning might decrease the chance of recurrence or at the very least, increase the time before such a relapse occurs. The authors suggest that treating patients with both drugs at first may prevent the emergence of the drug-resistant forms.
A third drug that can target both dasatinib- and imatinib resistant BCR-ABL is currently in trials.
