FLT3 inhibitors in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia: the start of an era?

ABSTRACT: Despite recent modest improvements in the chemotherapy regimens used to treat acute myeloid leukemia (AML), many patients diagnosed with AML ultimately die of the disease. Commonly occurring genetic alterations have been identified that strongly affect the prognosis for patients with AML. These alterations represent possible targets for investigational therapies that could act to specifically halt the aberrant growth of AML cells while limiting damage to normal cells. One such gene is the Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) gene, which is mutated in approximately 30% of adult patients with AML and has a significant impact on prognosis. In particular, internal tandem duplications in FLT3 confer a poor prognosis to this large subgroup of patients with AML. Agents that target FLT3 are in develo

SUBMITTER: Pemmaraju N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4316826 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature