90 American Society of Hematology Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia: Disease Biology and Current and Future Therapeutic Strategies

Over the last 2 decades, four major therapeutic approaches have drastically changed the progno-sis in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML): 1) allogeneic stem cell transplant (SCT); 2) interferon alpha (IFN-) based regimens; 3) donor lymphocyte infusions (DLI); and 4) and the revolutionary BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as STI571 (signal transduction inhibitor 571). Each modality has exploited and targeted different aspects of CML biology, and is associated with different risk-benefit ratios. In Section I of this review, Dr. Melo reviews the molecular pathophysiology of CML and potential new targets for therapy including anti-sense strategies to disrupt the BCR-ABL gene an