Treatment-free remission after imatinib discontinuation is possible in paediatric patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia.

Results from large prospective trials in adult chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) suggest that treatment-free remission (TFR) can be obtained in imatinib-treated patients with a sustained molecular response (MR) of 4.5 log (MR4.5). In our study, among 7 paediatric patients (median age at diagnosis: 11 years) who achieved a MR IM was discontinued in 3 with a durable MR4.5, even in the presence of low transcript levels. After IM cessation, all 3 patients remain in MR4.5-MR5 after 34, 34 and 54 months, respectively. These results suggest that TFR after IM discontinuation is possible also in CML children with a durable MR4.5.