Tratamento da recidiva da leucemia mielóide crônica após transplante de medula óssea alogênico utilizando mesilato de imatinibe: Relato de três casos Treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia relapse after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation with imatinib mesylate: Report of three cases Relato de Caso / Case Report

Abstract Imatinib mesylate (MI), a selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor involvedin the pathogenesis of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), hasbecome the first-line treatment for this disease. Donor lymphocyteinfusion (DLI) has been considered as the standard treatment forrelapse after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT), eventhough it is frequently associated with graft versus host disease andmyelosuppression. Because of the satisfactory results and toleranceof the treatment of CML, the authors used MI as an alternativetherapy for DLI in patients that relapsed after BMT. They obtainedcytogenetic remission in two cases, with, in one case, provenconversion to the donor chimera. The third case evolved withprogression of the disease and a second BMT was required. Sincethis is a new alternative, this descriptive study suggests it should beconsidered as an alternative therapy for relapse after BMT. (Rev.bras. hematol. hemoter. 2006; 28 (2):157-160. Key words: Chronic myeloid leukemia; treatment; relapse; bonemarrow transplantation; imatinib mesylate.