Rm. Mesters et al., Stable remission after administration of the receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor SU5416 in a patient with refractory acute myeloid leukemia, BLOOD, 98(1), 2001, pp. 241-243
The small molecule receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) inhibitor SU5416 targets
the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 and the stem cell factor
receptor c-kit, Herein is described the successful treatment of a 65-year-o
ld woman with SU5416, in second relapse of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and
refractory toward standard chemotherapy regimens. After 12 weeks of treatm
ent with SU5416, the blast cell counts (blood and bone marrow) decreased to
undetectable levels and the peripheral blood cell counts normalized with t
he exception of the platelet count (50-80 x 10(9)/L [50-80 x 10(3)/ muL]).
The duration of the remission is longer than 4 months during maintenance th
erapy with SU5416, Microvessel density in the patient's bone marrow dropped
from 33.4 to 12.3 microvessels/ x500-field 8 weeks after SU5416 administra
tion and remains in the normal range. This is the first report of a stable
remission achieved after administration of the RTK inhibitor SU5416 in a pa
tient with AML relapse. (C) 2001 by The American Society of Hematology.