KISS Study: Kinase Inhibition With Sprycel Start up

Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) is due to a chromosomal abnormality in white blood cells which results in abnormal multiplication. CML in its earlier, slower growing chronic phase (CP) is well controlled by the tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) drug imatinib, which targets the consequences of the chromosomal abnormality, inducing a response and subsequent remission (as measured using molecular techniques on patient blood or bone marrow samples in the lab). Dasatinib, a newer TKI drug, similar in design to imatinib, gives a more rapid molecular response, however the long term side-effects are less known than imatinib. This study will investigate the efficacy and safety of a treatment plan for patients with newly diagnosed CML-CP, where dasatinib will be used to more rapidly induce a molecular response (MR3.0) within 12 months, after which imatinib will be used to maintain the CML in that remission. It is hypothesised that imatinib is safe and effective in maintaining MR3.0 in patients with CML who achieve MR3.0 at 12 months following initial induction therapy with dasatinib.