Should imatinib or glivec be withheld during stem cell harvests ?
ARC: There were better quantity of harvest yields if Imatinib was withheld before and during harvest. The authors suggest that this may be because IM may reversibly impair eripheral blood stem cell mobilization. However, they recommend a larger study to be done to prove this point. They emphasize that in their study, the proliferative effect of GCSF was countered by the anti-proliferative effect of IM leading to suboptimal mobilization of progenitor cells in the first cohort. I know that our doctor mentioned that they get much better cell yields if IM is not given during the harvest period. Reference of study cited: May issue, Leukemia, 2003. Successful peripheral blood stem cell mobilisation with filgrastim in patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia achieving complete cytogenetic response with imatinib, without increasing disease burden as measured by quantitative real-time PCR. From Australia.