Treatment with nilotinib is associated with improvements in quality of life for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase (CML-CP) receiving second-line therapy, a study published in the journal Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma & Leukemia has shown.1
To evaluate quality of life and adherence to therapy in patients with CML-CP treated with second-line nilotinib, researchers enrolled 177 patients from 23 centers in Poland receiving nilotinib after first-experiencing disease progression or unacceptable toxicity while on their previous therapy.
Researchers assessed quality of life using the standard Core Quality of Life (EORTC QLQ-C30) questionnaire and measured adherence to therapy with the use of the 4-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS) by patients and their physicians.
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Results showed that the average quality of life of patients who completed the study was significantly higher during the last visit compared with that at the time of enrollment (P <.001).
Investigators also found that 83.2% of patients perceived themselves as highly compliant to nilotinib therapy at their first visit, with 93.4% rating themselves as highly compliant at the fifth visit. Only 1.7% of patients were considered to have low compliance at the first visit and no patients assessed themselves as low compliant since the fourth visit, suggesting high adherence.
According to physicians, 85.3% of patients were highly compliant at the first visit and 96.0% were categorized the same during the last 3 visits.
The findings ultimately suggest that second-line treatment with nilotinib can significantly improve quality of life in patients with CML-CP and adherence to therapy is high.
Reference
1. Sacha T, Gora-Tybor J, Wasak-Szulkowska E, et al. Quality of life and adherence to therapy in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia treated with nilotinib as a second line therapy: a multicenter prospective observational study. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk. 2017 Jan 10. doi: 10.1016/j.clml.2017.01.001. [Epub ahead of print]
