In recent years, new drugs that target specific parts of cancer cells have been developed. These targeted drugs work differently than standard chemotherapy drugs. They often have different (and less severe) side effects. Some of these drugs may be useful in certain cases of ALL.
For instance, drugs such as imatinib (Gleevec) and dasatinib (Sprycel) specifically attack cells that have the Philadelphia chromosome (a shortened chromosome 22 that results from a translocation with chromosome 9).
About 25% to 30% of adult patients with ALL have leukemia cells with this abnormal chromosome. Studies are now being done to find out if these drugs can be combined with chemotherapy to get better outcomes. Early reports have found that they may help more patients achieve a remission after treatment and may help keep the leukemia from coming back, but larger studies are needed to confirm this.
These drugs are taken daily as pills. Possible side effects include diarrhea, nausea, muscle pain, fatigue, and skin rashes. These are generally mild. A common side effect is swelling around the eyes or in the hands or feet. Some studies suggest this fluid buildup may be due to the drugs' effects on the heart. Other possible side effects include lower red blood cell and platelet counts at the start of treatment. All of these side effects get worse at higher than usual doses of the drug.
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