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  • Perinatal/Neonatal Case Presentation
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Perinatal/Neonatal Case Presentation

Imatinib mesylate and metabolite concentrations in maternal blood, umbilical cord blood, placenta and breast milk

Journal of Perinatology volume 27, pages 241–243 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Treatment of maternal chronic myeloid leukemia with imatinib mesylate is avoided because of potential fetal effects. Two women with progression of disease during pregnancy required imatinib therapy. Concentrations of imatinib in maternal blood, placenta, umbilical cord blood and breast milk were 886, 2452, 0 to 157, and 596 ng/ml, respectively. Concentrations of the active metabolite CGP74588 in maternal blood, placenta, umbilical cord blood and breast milk were 338, 1462, 0 and 1513 ng/ml, respectively. As Imatinib and CGP74588 cross the mature placenta poorly, use of the drug after the first trimester may be reasonable under some circumstances. Imatinib and CGP74588 are found in breast milk, and therefore avoidance of breastfeeding is advisable.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Dr Melanie Anne Egorin and Mr Atticus G Tarleton for assistance in obtaining the samples used for the analyses in this report.

Disclosure: Dr Merrill Egorin's laboratory is supported, in part, by a grant from Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, From the VA Outcomes Group, VT, USA

    M A Russell

  2. Brown Medical School, Women and Infants' Hospital, Providence, RI, USA

    M W Carpenter

  3. Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA

    M S Akhtar

  4. University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    T F Lagattuta & M J Egorin

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  1. M A Russell
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  2. M W Carpenter
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  4. T F Lagattuta
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  5. M J Egorin
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Correspondence to M A Russell.

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Russell, M., Carpenter, M., Akhtar, M. et al. Imatinib mesylate and metabolite concentrations in maternal blood, umbilical cord blood, placenta and breast milk. J Perinatol 27, 241–243 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7211665

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7211665

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