Treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor STI571 results in marked regression of bone marrow fibrosis.

Morphologic bone marrow changes in patients with BCR-ABL-positive chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) were investigated during treatment with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor STI571. Bone marrow trephine biopsy specimens from 23 pretreated patients with CML were examined morphologically and by morphometry before and 6 weeks and 3 months after the initiation of STI571 therapy (Glivec, Novartis, Basel, Switzerland). Bone marrow changes during treatment showed a quantitative normalization of erythropoiesis, a marked reduction of granulopoiesis, and a significant decrease in megakaryocytes with the reappearance of normal-sized forms. Furthermore, a significant regression of bone marrow fibrosis was observed in patients with initial fibrosis (P <.000,000,001). These results may expand the profile of STI571 and may offer novel therapeutic possibilities in diseases with bone marrow fibrosis.