If TKIs have failed to produce a response and an ASCT is not an option, previously used drugs can be considered.
Before the introduction of TKIs, other drugs were used with relative degrees of success. These include
- Pegylated interferon-alpha
- Hydroxycarbamide
- Hypomethylating agents, such as azacitidine and decitabine
- Chemotherapies such as busulfan, 6‑mercaptopurine and low dose cytarabine.
- Interferon-alpha has the benefit of being safe in CML women who are in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy.
