The median age of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients is ∼ 60 years, and age is still considered an important prognostic factor, included in Sokal and EURO risk scores. However, few data are ...available about the long-term outcome of older patients treated with imatinib (IM) frontline. We analyzed the relationship between age and outcome in 559 early chronic-phase CML patients enrolled in 3 prospective clinical trials of Gruppo Italiano Malattie Ematologiche dell'Adulto CML Working Party, treated frontline with IM, with a median follow-up of 60 months. There were 115 older patients (≥ 65 years; 21%). The complete cytogenetic and major molecular response rates were similar in the 2 age groups. In older patients, event-free survival (55% vs 67%), failure-free survival (78% vs 92%), progression-free survival (62% vs 78%), and overall survival (75% vs 89%) were significantly inferior (all P < .01) because of a higher proportion of deaths that occurred in complete hematologic response, therefore unrelated to CML progression (15% vs 3%, P < .0001). The outcome was similar once those deaths were censored. These data show that response to IM was not affected by age and that the mortality rate linked to CML is similar in both age groups. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT00514488 and #NCT00510926.
The nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) inhibitor, APO866, has been previously shown to have antileukemic activity in preclinical models, but its cytotoxicity in primary leukemia cells is ...frequently limited. The success of current antileukemic treatments is reduced by the occurrence of multidrug resistance, which, in turn, is mediated by membrane transport proteins, such as P-glycoprotein-1 (Pgp). Here, we evaluated the antileukemic effects of APO866 in combination with Pgp inhibitors and studied the mechanisms underlying the interaction between these two types of agents.
The effects of APO866 with or without Pgp inhibitors were tested on the viability of leukemia cell lines, primary leukemia cells (AML, n = 6; B-CLL, n = 19), and healthy leukocytes. Intracellular nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD(+)) and ATP levels, mitochondrial transmembrane potential (ΔΨ(m)), markers of apoptosis and of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress were evaluated.
The combination of APO866 with Pgp inhibitors resulted in a synergistic cytotoxic effect in leukemia cells, while sparing normal CD34(+) progenitor cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Combining Pgp inhibitors with APO866 led to increased intracellular APO866 levels, compounded NAD(+) and ATP shortage, and induced ΔΨ(m) dissipation. Notably, APO866, Pgp inhibitors and, to a much higher extent, their combination induced ER stress and ER stress inhibition strongly reduced the activity of these treatments.
APO866 and Pgp inhibitors show a strong synergistic cooperation in leukemia cells, including acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) samples. Further evaluations of the combination of these agents in clinical setting should be considered.
Abstract Essential thrombocythemia (ET) is a myeloproliferative neoplasm characterized by an increase in blood platelets and dominated by a predisposition to vascular events. Cutaneous manifestations ...can complicate its course. itching has been the most common symptom reported; however, the percentage has ranged from 3% to 46%, depending on the survey. Erythromelalgia is found in 6% of cases, and livedo reticularis, minor bleeding, acrocyanosis, and Raynaud's phenomenon are rare manifestations. It is important to recognize and treat these events, because they can affect patients' quality of life and could worsen the prognosis. In addition to skin involvement as a possible sign of ET, the treatment of ET can be associated with cutaneous complications. Hydroxycarbamide, interferon-alfa, and anagrelide can induce different skin lesions. Hydroxycarbamide has been associated with major complications, including painful leg ulcers and actinic keratoses. Minor events include alopecia and hyperpigmentation. Xerosis, pruritus, and photosensitivity are some of the complications reported by patients treated with interferon-alfa. Anagrelide has proved to be associated with fewer dermatologic effects, only detected in single cases. Knowledge of the ET cutaneous manifestations, together with the clinical examination findings, can result in an earlier diagnosis and the start of effective treatment.
In this study we have analyzed the interaction between in vitro cultured bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC) and NK cells. Ex vivo-isolated NK cells neoexpressed the activation Ag CD69 and released ...IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha upon binding with BMSC. Production of these proinflammatory cytokines was dependent on ligation of ICAM1 expressed on BMSC and its receptor LFA1 on NK cells. Furthermore, the NKp30, among natural cytotoxicity receptors, appeared to be primarily involved in triggering NK cells upon interaction with BMSC. Unexpectedly, autologous IL-2-activated NK cells killed BMSC. Again, LFA1/ICAM1 interaction plays a key role in NK/BMSC interaction; this interaction is followed by a strong intracellular calcium increase in NK cells. More importantly, NKG2D/MHC-I-related stress-inducible molecule A and/or NKG2D/UL-16 binding protein 3 engagement is responsible for the delivery of a lethal hit. It appears that HLA-I molecules do not protect BMSC from NK cell-mediated injury. Thus, NK cells, activated upon binding with BMSC, may regulate BMSC survival.
Background: Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is an incurable disease characterized by a highly unstable genome, resulting in large-scale changes at diagnosis, as well as further evolution contributing to ...disease progression. However, the mechanisms whereby tumor cells adapt to genomic instability are largely unknown, but recent observations have correlated these abnormalities with dysfunctional DNA damage repair (DDR) machinery. SIRT6 is an important regulator of cellular stress response and genomic integrity. Here we investigated the role of this NAD+ -dependent deacetylase in regulating ongoing DNA damage observed in AML patients.
Methods: SIRT6 mRNA level was determined by RT-qPCR in AML patients (n=100) diagnosed at the Hematology Department of University of Genoa (Italy), compared with normal bone marrow derived CD34+ cells (n=5). Correlation studies with clinical and molecular characteristics of these patients were also performed. A panel of different AML cell lines and primary cells, both sensitive and resistant to conventional and novel anti-AML therapies, was used in the study. The anti-leukemic effect of DNA-damaging agents (DDAs) including idarubicin, Ara-C and fludarabine was evaluated in presence of SIRT6 depletion/inhibition by CTG assay and Annexin-V/propidium iodide staining. Mechanistic studies were performed with Western-blotting, lentivirus-mediated shRNAs and immunofluorescence assay. Analysis of DNA DSB repair was done using chromosomally integrated reporter constructs, followed by cytometer analysis.
Results: AML patients were grouped into lower and higher SIRT6 expressers according to its median mRNA level. Patients with lower expression had a higher incidence of FLT3-ITD (p=0.034, Wilcoxon signed rank test). No significant association was observed with respect to mutations of NPM1, nor with WT1 and BAALC expression. SIRT6 expression correlated also with adverse clinical outcome in term of event free and overall survival (p=0.035 and p=0.025, respectively; unpaired t test). Based on these data, we evaluated SIRT6 role in biology of AML. We found higher SIRT6 protein level in AML cell lines carrying FLT3-ITD mutation (MOLM-14 and MV 4-11) compared to cell lines harboring other mutations (OCI-AML3, THP-1, KG, NB4, HL60, Nomo1 and U937). Targeting SIRT6 by specific shRNAs weakly reduced AML cell survival compared with control-scrambled cells, by impairing DNA repair efficiency. Indeed, a restricted effect of SIRT6 impairment on DNA damage proteins (H2AX, RAD51, 53BP1, RPA32) was measured. We next examined the therapeutic relevance of SIRT6 inhibition in AML by testing effects of its depletion in combination with genotoxic agents. Remarkably, SIRT6 depletion conferred increased sensitivity of AML cells to idarubicin, Ara-C and Fludarabine. Overall, enhancing genotoxic stress while concomitantly blocking DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) repair response, may represents an innovative strategy to increase chemosensitivity of AML cells. Further mechanistic studies revealed that SIRT6 acts as a genome guardian in leukemia cells by binding DNA damage sites and activating DNA-PKcs and CtIP by deacetylation, which in turn promotes DNA repair.
Conclusion: Genomic instability is present in all hematologic malignancies including AML. Strategies aimed to shift the balance towards high DNA damage and reduced DNA repair by SIRT6 inhibition can decrease AML growth and may benefit patients with otherwise unfavorable outcomes.
No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Abstract
We reviewed the frequency and prognostic significance of FLT3 (fms-like tyrosine kinase receptor-3) and NPM (nucleophosmin) gene mutations and WT1 (Wilms' tumor) and BAALC (brain and acute ...leukemia, cytoplasmic) gene expression in 100 consecutive patients with intermediate and poor cytogenetic risk de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML) receiving conventional anthracycline-AraC based therapy. We observed a strict relationship between unfavorable karyotype and BAALC >1000 (p = 0.0001). Multivariate analysis of 81 patients with intermediate karyotype revealed that younger age (p = 0.00009), NPM gene mutation (p = 0.002), and WT1 >75th percentile (>2365) (p = 0.003) were independent, positive factors for complete remission (CR). WT1 expression above 2365 was correlated also to longer event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) in the same subset of patients (p = 0.003 and p = 0.02, respectively); the same finding occurred in younger patients with AML with intermediate karyotype (p = 0.008 and p = 0.01, respectively). In patients with intermediate karyotype, FLT3 internal tandem duplication (ITD) negatively affected EFS (EFS at 30 months: 30% vs. 6% in FLT3-ITD negative and FLT3 positive patients, respectively; p = 0.01) and OS (OS at 30 months: 38% vs. 20%, p = 0.03). The positive prognostic value of high WT1 expression does not have a clear explanation; it may be implicated either with WT1 anti-oncogenic function, or with the stimulating effect of WT1 oncogene on the leukemic cellular cycle, possibly associated with an enhanced response to chemotherapy.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
the natural history of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) has changed after the introduction of first generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Data from clinical trials suggest that about 30% of ...patients fails imatinib treatment and 18% never achieves complete cytogenetic remission (CCyR). However, CCyR and major molecular response (MMR) can be achieved with second generation TKIs in many patients.
We have analized 119 CML patients that have received at least one course of TKI and their outcomes. We have calculated how many patient are alive and continuing to receive first TKI therapy or patients who are alive but had to switch to alternative TKI therapy.
From May 1987 and May 2013 among chronic phase CML patients diagnosed, we have analized 119 patients who received at least one course of first, second or third generation TKIs. At diagnosis patients characteristic were: mean age 52 years (range 17-80); comorbidities unrelated to CML were found in 55 patients (i.e. arterial hypertension, ischemic heart disease, atrial fibrillation and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (grading 1-2). Nine patients had a past history of epythelial cancer. Additional karyotype abnormalities were present in 7 patients (5%). Subjects were stratified according to Sokal score: 32 high risk, 39 intermediate risk and 48 low risk. Thirty five patients were diagnosed in pre-TKI era. Thus, they received second line imatinib, after conventional chemotherapy. Sixty-nine patients were treated with frontline imatinib, 14 subjects received frontline nilotinib and 1 frontline ponatinib in. The median follow up is 102,5 months (range 3-312).
Response to treatment was defined in according to 2009 European LeukemiaNet guidelines In our series 20 patient died (17%) because of: disease progression in imatinib (= 2; 1.7%), acute myocardial ischemia during imatinib therapy (= 2), respiratory failure in 1 case and second tumor in 9 subjects. Of nine additional patients, three were lost at follow up and 6 subjects died.
Overall 96/119 patients are alive (80,7%). Patients receiving frontline TKI are 55 ( 42in imatinib; 12 in nilotinib and 1 in ponatinib). Patients treated with second-line TKI are 30 (19in imatinib post chemoterapy, 6 in Nilotinib and 5 in dasatinib). Subjects receiving third-line TKI are 10 (9 in dasatinib and 1 in imatinib post allograft transplant). Only 1 patient receives ponatinib as fourth-line TKI. Responses are: CCyR in 96% of alive patients of whom 81% have a molecular response (MMR or better).
Switch to TKI other than imatinib (24 patients) was due to failure to achieve optimal response or loss of response according to LeukemiaNet guidelines. Moreover, three patients did not tolerate first line TKI. Nilotinib was generally well tolerated: we did not observe any cardiovascular adverse event. However we found that previous failure to imatinib predicted subsequent failure to nilotinib (=11). As previously reported, dasatinib induced three pleural effusions, resolved with medical therapy without requiring switch of therapy, except for one patient.
We noticed that Sokal score does not correlate with response to TKI therapy. Imatinib is well tolerated, only few patients discontinued because of side effects.However 24% of patients switched to second-line TKI due to loss of response especially among those patients previously treated with chemotherapy. Frontline nilotinib induced a sustained optimal response in 85,7%(=12) without adverse event. Our results about percentage of patient who switched therapy are slightly lower than those of clinical trials. This result support the notion that CML patients enrolled in clinical trials are not always fully representative of a general population referred to outpatient clinic.
No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Treatment of elderly patients needs to be considered in view of patients' physical condition and social environment in addition to diagnosis, staging and risk factors.
Fludarabine was the first ...purine analogue with an oral formulation available for clinical use. The oral formulation offers equivalent efficacy and improved tolerability profile compared to the intravenous (IV) formulation. IV fludarabine requires several administrations that may expose patients to the risk of clinical side effects and potential logistic problems.
To assess whether frontline oral fludarabine and cyclophosphamide (FC) combination therapy for elderly or clinical unfit patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) and low grade non Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), is well tolerated, effective and cost-saving.
Between April 2005 and March 2013, 10 elderly untreated patients (mean age 75, range 68-86) with B-CLL requiring treatment, according to ESMO guidelines, and 21 stage ≥3 indolent NHL (mean age 73, range 47 -89) received therapy with low dose oral fludarabine (25mg/mq/die) and cyclophosphamide (150mg/mq/die) from day 1 to 3. Study design consisted of 6 cycles repeated at 4 weeks intervals in the outpatient clinic. Patients received antibiotic prophylaxis with trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole (160/800 mg once a day, 3 times a week) and allopurinole (300 mg once a day from days 0 to 4). Four follicular NHL, 6 small lymphocytic NHL, 7 marginal zone NHL, 2 indolent mantle cell NHL and 2 lymphoplasmacytic NHL were treated. Performance status was WHO £ 2 in all patients. Comorbidities, which included diabetes, hypertension and chronic heart disease, were present in 12 patients (grade ≤ 2). The median number of cycles was 4 (range 2-6). No patients reduced either the dose or the number of cycles because of hematologic and extra-hematologic toxicities. Specifically, only 2 patients experienced grade III neutropenia, treated with G-CSF.
Definition of response was reported according to the updated IWCLL-NCI 2008 international general practice criteria, valuated after 3 and 6 cycles. Twenty seven of 31 patients (87%) obtained a clinical response (14 CR and 13 PR). Only 1 responding patient (90 years old) died after 24 months from therapy because of aplastic anemia. In particular, the response rate was 4/4 for follicular NHL (1RP, 3RC), 5/6 for small lymphocytic NHL (2 RC, 3 RP), 7/7 for marginal zone NHL (3 RC, 4RP),1/2 for lymphoplasmacytic and 2/2 mantle cell NHL (PR), 8/10 for B-CLL (3 RC, 5 RP).
We consider as Event Free Survival (EFS) time to progression, adverse event with a grade >3 (CTCAE) during treatment, relapse or death. Overall survival (OS) was defined as the time from the start of treatment to death or last follow-up. Survival distributions were calculated using the method of Kaplan and Meier. With a median follow-up of 67 months (range 16-187), we observed a median EFS about 38 months and median OS has not been reached.
We used Genzyme-sponsored Excel program to compare direct hospital cost of oral to IV FC (both 3 days regimen). IV treatment required 18 day service admissions with a total cost of € 7.527 while the oral therapy required 6 ambulatory visits with total cost of € 1.642 (costs including: pharmacy, nurses and physicians costs). In this analysis we did not consider social and psychological cost such as transportation, care giver loss of working hours, trauma of repeated venipunctures.
These results suggest that oral FC could be effective and well tolerated for elderly patients unfit for more aggressive treatments. The efficacy of our therapeutic regimen is comparable to intravenous FC (20 mg/m2 and 600 mg/m2) regimen used by Flinn et al. (Blood 2000) with an ORR about 90 %. Hovewer, in that study 17/60 patients experienced a grade 3 or 4 neutropenia with 1 death due to sepsis. In conclusion, most of our patients did not experience severe toxic side effects or required hospitalizations, enjoing a good quality of life.
No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
▪
Introduction. A substantial proportion of patients (pts) affected by Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) achieve complete negativity in Q-RT-PCR. In this situation, as already demonstrated in other STOP ...trials, it is possible to safely discontinue imatinib treatment but it is still not clear how to discriminate subjects who will relapse. In fact even undetectable BCR-ABL may not equate to eradication of the disease because of the sensitivity of Q-RT-PCR. A new diagnostic method, the digital-PCR (dPCR), able to detect 1 BCR-ABL+ cell out of 107 cells, has been developed. Therefore, dPCR by assessing the presence of minimal residual disease with higher sensitivity, could potentially identify pts in whom CML has been eradicated.
Aims. The ISAV study is aimed at validating the capability of dPCR to predict relapses after imatinib discontinuation in CML pts with negative Q-RT-PCR results and to evaluate relapse rate and timing of recurrence, survival and the impact of imatinib treatment on Quality of Life (QoL).
Methods. This study involves 15 sites, 10 in Italy and 1 in each of the following countries: Germany, Spain, The Netherlands, Canada and Israel. CML pts (Chronic or Accelerated Phase) under imatinib therapy since more than 2 years and in complete molecular remission (CMR) were eligible. Patients had to be in CMR for at least 18 months (mts), with a minimum of 3 Q-RT-PCR performed at their own sites. After signing the informed consent, blood samples were obtained for dPCR and the pts discontinued imatinib therapy. Standard Q-RT-PCR is performed monthly (mts 1-6) and then bimonthly for 36 mts to assess the maintenance of the molecular remission. The loss of molecular remission is defined as two consecutive positive Q-RT-PCR tests with at least one BCR-ABL/ABL value above 0.1%. Patients losing molecular remission resume imatinib treatment at the same dosage used before interruption. Patients' QoL during imatinib discontinuation/resumption is evaluated through the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire.
Results. The study enrolled 112 pts with a median follow-up (FUP) time of 28.0 mts 95% CI: 25.5-30.1. The 59.3% of pts were male and 37.0% were aged 65 or older; median duration of imatinib treatment was 103.1 mts with median duration of CMR of 25.7 mts before imatinib discontinuation. The cumulative probability of survival is 97.8% 95% CI: 91.4-99.5. dPCR results showed that 23.1% of pts were positive and 75.9% negative, with a significant Negative Predictive Value ratio (dPCR/Q-RT-PCR) of 1.112 95% CI: 1.009-1.225. At 24 mts from imatinib discontinuation, 53 pts (49.1%, 95% CI: 39.3-58.9) of the 108 eligible pts relapsed and resumed imatinib; 73.6% of them relapsed in the first 9 mts and the last relapse occurred 21.8 mts after imatinib discontinuation. A loss of CCyR occurred in 13 pts (34.2% of those tested): 10/13 CCyR losses were recovered, the remaining 3 were not assessed for response. No case of CML progression or resistance to imatinib was observed. After the resumption of imatinib the median time to MMR/CMR was 1.9 95% CI: 1.2-2.4 mts. Of the 55 not-relapsed pts, 42 (38.9% of the total) regained Q-RT-PCR positivity but never lost MMR. The median time to Q-RT-PCR positivity was 2.9 mts 95% CI: 2.0-3.1 in the relapsed pts and 4.5 mts 95% CI: 2.9-6.9 in pts who developed only PCR positivity. No significant correlation between relapse and previous duration of imatinib treatment, use of interferon, time to CCyR, Sokal score or duration of CMR was identified, while an inverse relationship between pts age and risk of relapse is evident. Moreover, age and dPCR results together can predict the risk of relapse: pts with less than 45 years and with a positive dPCR had the highest risk of relapse (100%) as opposed to pts ≥ 45 years and with negative dPCR (36.1%). The analysis of QoL evidenced a statistically significant improvement in the general well-being and symptoms scales at 1 month after imatinib discontinuation and in particular nausea, diarrhea and fatigue (p<0.01). An inverse and transient trend toward increased pain emerged at mts 1 and 3.
Conclusions. At 45 mts from the beginning of the study, with a median FUP of 28.0 mts, 49.1% of pts relapsed; the majority of relapses developed in the first 9 mts after imatinib discontinuation. Age < 45 years and dPCR positivity are significantly associated with relapses. QoL analysis showed a significant decrease in symptoms after imatinib discontinuation. Funded by Regione Lombardia.
Abruzzese:BMS, Novartis, Pfizer, Ariad: Consultancy. Assouline:BMS: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy. D'Emilio:Celgene: Research Funding. Dong-Wook:ll-Yang: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Pfizer: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Novartis Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau.
▪
Background. Nilotinib 300 mg BID was approved as frontline treatment in chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CP-CML) patients and allowed to reach deep molecular responses in a shorter median ...time with reduction of progression rate. Nilotinib is associated to a specific safety profile, with metabolic side effect as the most common events and increased probability of cardiovascular disorders.
Aim. Aim of our study is to prospectively assess metabolic changes and cardiovascular safety during treatment with nilotinib, in a single arm multicentric Italian GIMEMA trial (0811), testing the drug as frontline treatment with the primary endpoint to obtain MR4 at 24 months. All metabolic changes were classified according to CTC grade. Lipidic changes were assessed according to American Association of Clinical endocrinologist criteria of 2012 and glucose abnormalities according to American diabetologist association (ADA).
Results. One hundred and thirty patients were enrolled in 33 different centers: median age 50.5 years (range 18-85), 64.6% male. Mean body mass index (BMI) was 25.3, with 40% of patients being overweight/obese according to WHO classification. At last contact, 100 patients were still in treatment, the majority with full dose (86%). According to ADA criteria 47%, 10%, 4.6% and 6% of patients experienced grade 1 (101-125 mg/dl), grade 2 (126-150 mg/dl), grade 3 (151-200 mg/dl) and grade 4 (>200 mg/dl), increased fasting glucose, respectively. As compared to baseline, a significant variation was observed after 1 year (p<0.001). Glycosylated haemoglobin increased in 47% as grade 1 (5.7-6.49%), 10% as grade 2 (6.5-6.99%), 3% as grade 3 (7-7.99) and 4.6% as grade 4 (>8), respectively according to ADA criteria. AACE criteria identified a significant reduction of triglycerides (p<0.001) and a significant increase of cholesterol both in LDL and HDL fractions (p<0.001). Five patients (3.8%) experienced a peripheral arterial disorders (2 patients with claudication, 2 stenosis and 1 patient with arterial optic ischaemic): one patient required temporary reduction and 1 patient permanent discontinuation. Four patients experienced a venous thrombosis. Six patients (4.6%) had an ischemic cardiac disease and 7 patients (5.3%) an arrhythmia: five patients, based on physician judgment discontinued the treatment.
Conclusions. Prospective monitoring of metabolic safety during frontline treatment with nilotinib 300 mg BID showed consistent and specific profile with increased glycaemia and cholesterol level, mostly of grade 1-2. Possible occurrences of cardiovascular side effects impose identification of patients at risk at baseline and a correct monitoring during follow-up.
Castagnetti:Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria; Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria; ARIAD: Consultancy, Honoraria. Gugliotta:BMS: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria. Tiribelli:Novartis Farma: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Bristol Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Ariad Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau. Saglio:Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria; ARIAD: Consultancy, Honoraria; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Honoraria; Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation: Consultancy, Honoraria. Baccarani:PFIZER: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; NOVARTIS: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau. Rosti:Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Bristol Myers Squibb: Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau.