Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) may be safely used for chronic kidney disease (CKD) in chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients, but close monitoring is still warranted, according to a study of 468 patients newly diagnosed with chronic-phase CML and treated with TKIs. Researchers found:

• 4% of patients had TKI-associated acute kidney injury (AKI).

• Imatinib was associated with a higher incidence of AKI than dasatinib and nilotinib.

• 14% of patients developed CKD while receiving a TKI; 84% of whom were treated with imatinib.

• Imatinib, age, history of hypertension, and diabetes mellitus were associated with CKD.

• Imatinib reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR) over time in patients with no baseline CKD, but not in patients with a history of CKD.

• Imatinib, dasatinib, and nilotinib increased mean GFR after 3 months of treatment.

•AKI or CKD had no significant impact on overall cytogenetic and molecular response rates or survival.

Citation: Yilmaz M, Lahoti A, O’Brien S, et al. Estimated glomerular filtration rate changes in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors. [Published online ahead of print July 28, 2015]. Cancer. doi: 10.1002/cncr.29587.