In patients with CML treated with imatinib for some years, poor adherence may be the predominant reason for inability to obtain adequate molecular responses.

Imatinib is highly effective in most patients with CML-CP; patients who respond are likely to live substantially longer than those treated with earlier therapies. Achieving CCyR correlated with PFS and overall survival, but achieving MMR had no further predictive value. However, approximately one third of patients still need better therapy.