Optimizing Treatment Decisions for Patients With CML

Michael J. Mauro, MD, director of the chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) program in the leukemia service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses decision-making for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).

CML is a complex disease and according to Mauro, decision-making often depends on the stage at diagnosis. He explains that it is crucial to carefully assess both the disease and the patient's overall health, including comorbidities, to find the best treatment plan that offers the highest benefit with the lowest risk.

Mauro shares that treatment should be practical and experts must ensure that patients are not denied the possibility of a curative approach due to fears of adverse events or uncertainty. With multiple therapies available for the treatment of CML, experts can make adjustments based on patient response. As a result, Mauro believes that cure should remain a potential goal for all patients.

Transcription:

0:09 | Decision-making for a [patient with] CML can be complicated, depending on the state on the stage you are at when a patient [with CML] is first diagnosed. That is probably the most important point: to sort of do it right [by] looking at all the factors, [including] the disease itself and the patient in great detail–their health, comorbidities, and what is best for them. The [goal should be] to have the highest yield and the lowest risk, to achieve the best response, to probably be practical with milestones and goals of therapy without shortchanging the patient's meaning. Let us not exclude the possibility of a curative approach for all patients with CML or an optimum approach simply based on fear of adverse events or uncertainty.

0:54 | The good thing is, we have multiple therapies available, so switching and optimization based on the patient’s response can really make headway, [even] if we do not see exactly the perfect trajectory. And again, I think, hopefully, a cure can still be at least a considered goal for all patients.