Spectrum of BCR-ABL Mutations and Treatment Outcomes in Ethiopian Imatinib-Resistant Patients With Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

Despite the successes achieved in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) with tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy, resistance remains an obstacle. The most common mechanism of resistance is the acquisition of a point mutation in the BCR-ABL kinase domain. Few studies have reported African patients with CML in regard to such mutations. We here report the types of BCR-ABL mutations in Ethiopian imatinib-resistant patients with CML and their outcome. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with CML with a diagnosis of imatinib resistance who were tested for BCR-ABL mutation between 2014 and September 2019 were included. RESULTS: A total of 962 cases of CML on imatinib therapy were reviewed and 164 cases of failure were found. Of these, only 31 cases (19%) had mutation analysis performed. Most cases (94%) were secondary failures. At the time of CML diagnosis, the median age was 33 years and the majority presented with features of advanced-phase disease. Of the 31 patients, 22 mutations were found (65%). The types of mutations detected were as follows: non–P-loop mutations 36% (11), P-loop mutations 13% (four), and alternatively spliced BCR-ABL variants 23% (seven). The splice variant frequently detected was BCR-ABL(35INS) (20%). Twenty-six of the 31 patients (84%) were switched to second-line TKIs, whereas in four patients (13%), imatinib dose escalation was done. Overall, the outcome revealed that 16 patients (52%) were alive with complete hematologic response, whereas 12 patients (39%) had died. All patients who expressed BCR-ABL1(35INS) were treated with second-line TKIs, and two of them (33%) had died because of disease progression. CONCLUSION: In Ethiopia, CML affects the young and point mutations were frequently detected in imatinib-resistant patients. BCR-ABL1 (35INS) was also prevalent and associated with disease progression.