Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Patient counseling program to improve the compliance to imatinib in chronic myeloid leukemia patients

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Medical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

To achieve successful therapeutic outcomes in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), continuous and adequate imatinib (Gleevec®, Glivec®, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Basel, Switzerland) dosing is essential. Here, we report a patient counseling program (“Care club”, “Happy club” in Korea) performed to improve patient compliance with imatinib. From January 2006 to December 2008, patients diagnosed with chronic phase CML and taking imatinb were eligible for this retrospective study. A total of 114 patients from 4 centers in Korea were recruited at a 50:50 ratio for Happy club group versus non-Happy club group at each center. During 36-month follow-up, persistency (the number of days of imatinib prescribed versus 1 year) was higher in the Happy club group (98.2 ± 0.03%) than in the non-Happy club group (79.3 ± 0.16%, P = 0.001), whereas dose compliance (miligrams of imatinib that were actually taken versus miligrams that should have been taken) was not different between two groups; 96.5 ± 0.6% and 96.6 ± 0.7% in the Happy club and non-Happy club (P = 0.958). Overall compliance (the product of persistency and dose compliance) improved in the Happy club group (93.0 ± 2.3%) compared with the non-Happy club group (76.2 ± 7.4%, P = 0.001). The patient counseling program was efficient especially in patients who needed high-dose imatinib (>400 mg/day), and overall compliance was 87.8 ± 6.0% in the Happy club group versus 65.5 ± 16.1% in the non-Happy club group (P = 0.017). In conclusion, the patient counseling program was effective in persisting imatinib medication, resulting in the improvement of overall compliance.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Kantarjian H, et al. Hematologic and cytogenetic responses to imatinib mesylate in chronic myelogenous leukemia. N Engl J Med. 2002;346:645–52.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Talpaz M, et al. Imatinib induces durable hematologic and cytogenetic responses in patients with accelerated phase chronic myeloid leukemia: results of a phase 2 study. Blood. 2002;99:1928–37.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Sawyers CL, et al. Imatinib induces hematologic and cytogenetic responses in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia in myeloid blast crisis: results of a phase II study. Blood. 2002;99:3530–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. O’Brien SG, et al. Imatinib compared with interferon and low-dose cytarabine for newly diagnosed chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia. N Engl J Med. 2003;348:994–1004.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Druker BJ, et al. Five-year follow-up of patients receiving imatinib for chronic myeloid leukemia. N Engl J Med. 2006;355:2408–17.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Kantarjian HM, et al. Survival benefit with imatinib mesylate versus interferon-alpha-based regimens in newly diagnosed chronic-phase chronic myelogenous leukemia. Blood. 2006;108:1835–40.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Stone RM. Optimizing treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia: a rational approach. Oncologist. 2004;9:259–70.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Kiguchi T, et al. Compliance with taking imatinib mesylate in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in the chronic phase. Leuk Res. 2009;33:506–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Hochhaus A, et al. Molecular and chromosomal mechanisms of resistance to imatinib (STI571) therapy. Leukemia. 2002;16:2190–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Druker BJ, et al. Efficacy and safety of a specific inhibitor of the BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase in chronic myeloid leukemia. N Engl J Med. 2001;344:1031–7.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Sandoval C, Giamelli J, Jayabose S. Imatinib mesylate noncompliance simulating chronic myeloid leukemia resistance. J Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 2003;25:507–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Osterberg L, Blaschke T. Adherence to medication. N Engl J Med. 2005;353:487–97.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Moore S. Facilitating oral chemotherapy treatment and compliance through patient/family-focused education. Cancer Nurs. 2007;30:112–22.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Ruddy K, Mayer E, Partridge A. Patient adherence and persistence with oral anticancer treatment. CA Cancer J Clin. 2009;59:56–66.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Noens L, et al. Prevalence, determinants, and outcomes of nonadherence to imatinib therapy in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia: the ADAGIO study. Blood. 2009;113:5401–11.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Druker BJ, et al. Activity of a specific inhibitor of the BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase in the blast crisis of chronic myeloid leukemia and acute lymphoblastic leukemia with the Philadelphia chromosome. N Engl J Med. 2001;344:1038–42.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Tsang J, Rudychev I, Pescatore SL. Prescription compliance and persistency in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) patients (pts) on imatinib (IM). J Clin Oncol (ASCO Ann Meet Proc). 2006;24:6119.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Baccarani M, et al. Comparison of imatinib 400 mg and 800 mg daily in the front-line treatment of high-risk, Philadelphia-positive chronic myeloid leukemia: a European LeukemiaNet Study. Blood. 2009;113:4497–504.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Bazeos A, et al. Long term adherence to imatinib therapy is the critical factor for achieving molecular responses in chronic myeloid leukemia patients. Blood (ASH Ann Meet Abst). 2009;114:3290.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Darkow T, et al. Treatment interruptions and non-adherence with imatinib and associated healthcare costs: a retrospective analysis among managed care patients with chronic myelogenous leukaemia. Pharmacoeconomics. 2007;25:481–96.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Halpern P, et al. Relationship between compliance, costs, hospitalization for CML and GIST patients using imatinib mesylate. J Clin Oncol (ASCO Ann Meet Proc). 2008;26:6598.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Henk HJ, et al. The impact of non-compliance with imatinib (IM) therapy on health care costs. J Clin Oncol (ASCO Ann Meet Proc). 2006;24:6083.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Doti C, et al. Cytogenetic response in relation to the adherence to treatment with imatinib mesylate: a case control study. Blood. 2007;110:4553.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Cohen R, et al. Antiretroviral treatment outcomes from a nurse-driven, community-supported HIV/AIDS treatment programme in rural Lesotho: observational cohort assessment at two years. J Int AIDS Soc. 2009;12:23.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Levine AM, et al. Compliance with oral drug therapy in patients with hematologic malignancy. J Clin Oncol. 1987;5:1469–76.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Novartis and Pharmax Ogilby for data management. Pharmax Oglivy was the program/service supplier and Novartis Korea supported the funding for the program.

Conflict of interest

None of the authors have any conflicts of interest to declare.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Hematology/Oncology, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, 200 Dongduk–Ro, Jung–Gu, Daegu, 700-721, Korea

    Joon Ho Moon, Sang Kyun Sohn & Shi Nae Kim

  2. Department of Hematology/Oncology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea

    Seon Yang Park, Sung Soo Yoon & In ho Kim

  3. Department of Hematology/Oncology, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Gwangju, Korea

    Hyeoung Joon Kim & Yeo Kyeoung Kim

  4. Department of Hematology/Oncology, Yonsei University Severance Hospital, Seoul, Korea

    Yoo Hong Min, June Won Cheong & Jin Seok Kim

  5. Department of Hematology/Oncology, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea

    Chul Won Jung & Dong Hwan Kim

Authors
  1. Joon Ho Moon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sang Kyun Sohn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Shi Nae Kim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Seon Yang Park
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Sung Soo Yoon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. In ho Kim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Hyeoung Joon Kim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Yeo Kyeoung Kim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Yoo Hong Min
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. June Won Cheong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. Jin Seok Kim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  12. Chul Won Jung
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  13. Dong Hwan Kim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sang Kyun Sohn.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Moon, J.H., Sohn, S.K., Kim, S.N. et al. Patient counseling program to improve the compliance to imatinib in chronic myeloid leukemia patients. Med Oncol 29, 1179–1185 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-011-9926-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-011-9926-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation