Dasatinib 100 mg once a day is safe and effective for long-term chronic phase myeloid leukemia (CML-CP), according to a randomized trial involving 519 individuals.

Participants—all newly diagnosed CML-CP—received either dasatinib 100 mg once daily (n=259) or imatinib 400 mg once daily (n= 260). Among the results:

• Major molecular response and molecular responses with a 4.0- or 4.5-log reduction in BCR-ABL1 transcripts from baseline by 5 years was significantly higher for dasatinib.

• 5-year progression-free survival rates were similar in both groups.

• Those who achieved BCR-ABL1 ≤10% at 3 months in both contingents had improved progression-free and overall survival, as well as lower rates of transformation to accelerated/blast phase.

• Transformation to accelerated/blast phase occurred in 5% of dasatinib patients and 7% of imatinib patients.

• BCR-ABL1 mutations were seen in 15 dasatinib patients and 19 imatinib patients.

• Pleural effusion occurred in ~3 in every 10 of those taking dasatinib, vs less than 1% in the imatinib contingent.

Citation: Cortes J, Saglio G, Kantarjian H, et al. Final 5-year study results of dasision: The dasatinib versus imatinib study in treatment-naïve chronic myeloid leukemia patients trial. [Published online ahead of print May 23, 2016]. J Clin Oncol. doi:10.1200/JCO.2015.64.8899.