Gilteritinib helps some people with leukemia
Given after transplant, medicine helps patients with traces of cancer
Number of Participants356
Research GoalImprove Survival
Gilteritinib is a medicine for a type of blood cancer called acute myeloid leukemia (AML). It’s used when cancer cells have a mutation called FLT3.
People with AML are treated with blood or marrow transplant (BMT). Sometimes, after treatment, people appear to be healthy but still have tiny amounts of cancer cells in their body. This is called minimal residual disease (MRD).
A new study shows that giving gilteritinib after BMT helps people who have FLT3 AML and have MRD.
About 350 people worldwide participated in the study. Half of people got gilteritinib after BMT, and half of people got placebos (sugar pills). About 3 and a half years later, most people who had FLT3 AML with MRD and got gilteritinib were doing better than people who got placebo:
People with AML are treated with blood or marrow transplant (BMT). Sometimes, after treatment, people appear to be healthy but still have tiny amounts of cancer cells in their body. This is called minimal residual disease (MRD).
A new study shows that giving gilteritinib after BMT helps people who have FLT3 AML and have MRD.
About 350 people worldwide participated in the study. Half of people got gilteritinib after BMT, and half of people got placebos (sugar pills). About 3 and a half years later, most people who had FLT3 AML with MRD and got gilteritinib were doing better than people who got placebo:
- More than two-thirds (4 out of every 6 people) who got gilteritinib were alive and cancer-free
- About one-half (3 out every 6 people) who got placebo were alive and cancer-free
However, gilteritinib did not help people who did not have MRD.
Gilteritinib can cause side effects, such as lowering the number of blood cells your body makes. This can make you tired, prone to infections, and may cause bleeding problems.
In this study, 8 out of 10 people in the gilteritinib group had side effects. Fewer people, about 5 out of 10 in the placebo group, had side effects. Because of this, researchers recommend gilteritinib only for patients who have FLT3 and MRD.
Keep in mind
If you have AML, ask your doctor about the possible benefits and harms of different treatments.