3 replies to this topic

[LivingWellWithCML]

Hi everyone,

I just read through another thread that talked about wine consumption having a negative impact on the effectiveness of a TKI.  I'm well into my 3rd year of Gleevec 400mg, reached MMR in 9 months and (have held <= 0.1% IS ever since), but I do have a couple of small glasses of red wine nightly.  It's a responsible routine, and I take Gleevec with breakfast, so it's many hours before I actually have a glass of red wine.  I spoke to my hematologist about this at dx and he didn't see any issues with moderate red wine consumption and did not believe it would have an impact on Gleevec's effectiveness; as long as liver numbers stay good.  So I kept the routine and have been really thankful for it!

Have others been told that this could be an actual problem with a TKIs effectiveness?  This is the first I've really heard of this on the board...

[bagdaddi]

Very interested in this question as I have a similar routine with the vino that I picked back up about 3 months prior to my last test.  Last test went up 0.03%IS to 0.1%IS.  I contributed part of this to a lab change - would hate to think the wine had an impact. 

[Marnie]

I drink wine and margaritas regularly (too regularly).  I have been PCRu for about a year now, and have not found alcohol consumption to be a problem.  I do monitor liver function closely.  I am more concerned about CMP results than I am about alcohol affecting PCR.

I'm typing this with a glass of wine in hand.

[Trey]

As I said in the other post, a small amount of alcohol (any source) acts to enhance TKI effectiveness by delaying removal by the liver (due to competition for liver resources -- TKI and alcohol must queue up).  But chronic alcoholism (alcohol abuse) changes the way the liver works and TKI effectiveness is reduced.  Most do not need to be concerned either way about the issue.