Chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia patients with low OCT-1 activity randomized to high-dose imatinib achieve better responses and have lower failure rates than those randomized to standard-dose imatinib

BACKGROUND: The functional activity of the organic cation transporter 1 (OCT-1) protein (OCT-1 activity) is an excellent predictor of molecular response and progression-free survival in patients with newly diagnosed chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia treated with imatinib as front-line therapy. DESIGN AND METHODS: In this study the predictive value of OCT-1 activity in patients treated with imatinib 400 mg/day or 800 mg/day was evaluated in relation to trough imatinib plasma levels assessed in 100 patients enrolled in the Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Optimization and Selectivity (TOPS) trial. RESULTS: The rate of major molecular responses by 24 months in patients on imatinib 400 mg/day was significantly higher in those with high OCT-1 activity than in those with low OCT-1 activity (low OCT-1 activity, 57% of patients; high OCT-1 activity, 100%; P<0.001); the corresponding difference in patients treated with imatinib 800 mg/day did not reach statistical significance (low OCT-1 activity, 68%; high OCT-1 activity, 95%; P=0.073). In addition, the combination of low trough imatinib levels (<1200 ng/mL) and low OCT-1 activity defined a group of patients who had the lowest rates of major molecular response (47%) by 24 months compared to all other patients (81%, P=0.009). These patients were also at the highest risk of failed imatinib therapy when compared to all other patients (P