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How does imatinib treat chronic myelogenous leukemia in some patients?

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The impact of the Human Genome Project on cancer research — Human Genome Project The Human Genome Project, which operated from 1990 to 2003, provided researchers with basic information about the genetic content of the human organism, opening new avenues of discovery in fields such as cancer research.

Imatinib treats chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) by acting as a targeted therapy that specifically inhibits the abnormal bcr-abl tyrosine kinase enzyme.12

This enzyme is produced by the BCR-ABL hybrid oncogene, which results from a genetic defect known as the Philadelphia chromosome—a chromosomal translocation found in more than 90 percent of CML patients. In untreated cells, this abnormal kinase stimulates the continuous, uncontrolled proliferation of bone marrow stem cells, leading to the accumulation of myelogenous cells and symptoms such as fatigue and an enlarged spleen.13

By blocking the activity of this specific protein, imatinib halts the proliferation of the cancerous cells while sparing normal cells that do not possess the defect. This precision makes it significantly more effective and safer than traditional, nonselective anticancer agents.12