Therapeutic role of imatinib mesylate in chronic myeloid leukemia.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the impact of demographic (age, gender) and genetic (rs683369) factors on the therapeutic response to Imatinib Mesylate. Study Design: Prospective, Non-interventional Observational Study. Setting: Islamic International Medical College and Holy Family Hospital, with Genetic Testing at KRL Hospital, Islamabad. Period: January 2019 to December 2022. Methods: Included 106 CML patients aged 18–75 years, receiving 400 mg/day of Imatinib Mesylate. Response was assessed after three months based on hematological markers and Philadelphia chromosome presence. rs683369 genotyping was performed using PCR-RFLP, and plasma Imatinib levels were measured after one month. Statistical analysis included chi-square tests and binary logistic regression using SPSS. Period: January 2019 to December 2022. Results: Gender was significantly associated with treatment response, with females showing a higher response rate (p < 0.001). Older patients (≥51 years) exhibited higher plasma drug levels. The CC genotype of rs683369 was significantly associated with a favorable response compared to CG and GG genotypes (p = 0.04). Conclusion: Age, gender, and rs683369 genotype significantly influence Imatinib response in Pakistani CML patients. These findings support the application of pharmacogenetics in developing personalized treatment strategies.