Abstract

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a model for cancer disease due to the fact that a unique translocation determines the disease. With the introduction of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) to treatment, the disease has changed from a fatal one to a chronic disease in the majority of patients. The life expectancy of patients with CML receiving TKI treatment is nearly comparable now to that of the general population. Treatment strategies not only comprise overall survival anymore but achievement of deep molecular remission even successfully stop therapy (treatment-free remission, TFR). It is under discussion for which patients how deep the molecular remission should be. An individualized treatment plan from the time point of diagnosis for each patient seems to be the future of CML therapy. This compromise also the choice of the TKI for first line in order to increase the number of patients in TFR.