A dramatic progress in treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) has been achieved with the BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase imatinib. Imatinib induces high rates of cytogenetic and even molecular remissions in CML patients. The collection of Ph negative progenitor blood stem cells (PBSC) for autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (AHCT) after imatinib treatment is possible and the interest of this procedure has emerged. The authors discuss the current and future role of autologous transplantation in CML therapy and the clinical applications of this method. Methods for additional purging of the graft are also discussed. It is likely that this procedure will be limited initially to patients who have failed imatinib therapy. Clinical trials are necessary to define the best application of this method.
CML; imatinib; autologous transplantation