Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents are not associated with increased risk of thrombosis in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes

Ischemic stroke as the initial presentation in acute myeloid leukemia vs. myelodysplastic syndrome: a case report and literature review with pathophysiological and clinical exploration

BACKGROUND

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) present intricate challenges due to their diverse clinical manifestations and thrombotic complications. Thromboembolism (TE) incidence in newly diagnosed AML patients is noteworthy, with arterial TE linked to poorer overall survival. Ischemic strokes, although relatively low in prevalence, carry significant clinical implications.

CASE DESCRIPTION

We report the case of an 84-year-old male with Type 2 Diabetes, Hypertension, and Chronic Kidney Disease, presenting with seizures, focal neurological deficits, and pancytopenia. An unexpected diagnosis of AML or MDS emerged during the investigation. Despite interventions, the patient's condition deteriorated, leading to a fatal outcome weeks later.

CONCLUSION

This case underscores the intricate relationship between hematologic malignancies and ischemic stroke. The rarity of this complication emphasizes the importance of understanding the multifaceted mechanisms at play, including hyperleukocytosis, pro-inflammatory cytokine release, coagulation cascade activation, and direct interactions with endothelial cells. In our literature review, analysis of 15 cases, including ours, revealed a wide age range (3-87 years) and a gender bias towards females. AML diagnosis was predominant, with uniformly low platelet counts. Cortical infarctions, especially in the anterior circulation, were common. Hyperleukocytosis, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), and fatal outcomes were observed in a subset of cases. Despite the grim statistics and often poor prognosis, the identification of specific risk factors, such as thrombocytopenia and cytogenetic abnormalities, offers avenues for targeted prevention and management.

Thrombosis in Myeloid Malignancies: From CHIP to AML

The development of myeloid malignancies is a multi-step process starting from pre-malignant stages. Large-scale studies on clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) identified this condition as a risk factor for developing hematologic malignancies, in particular myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In parallel, CHIP was found to confer an enhanced thrombotic risk, in particular for cardiovascular diseases. In a similar fashion, in recent years, alongside their life-threatening features, increasing attention has been drawn toward thrombotic complications in myeloid malignancies. Thus, the purpose of this review is to gather a growing body of evidence on incidence, pathogenesis and clinical impact of thrombosis in myeloid malignancies at every step of malignant progression, from CHIP to AML.

Biosimilar erythropoiesis-stimulating agents are an effective and safe option for the management of myelofibrosis-related anemia

OBJECTIVES

Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESA) have an established role in treating anemia in hematological malignancies. However, their role, particularly biosimilar ESA (B-ESA), in myelofibrosis (MF) is not well established.

METHODS

This study retrospectively collected data on 96 MF patients treated with B-ESA (alpha/zeta) for the management of anemia to assess safety, efficacy (anemia response [AR]), and survival.

RESULTS

Seventy-seven patients (80%) obtained AR. The median time to AR was 2.5 months. In multivariate analysis, significant predictive factors of AR were transfusion independency (p = .006) and ferritin levels <200 ng/ml (p = .009) at baseline. After a median follow-up of 43.8 months from diagnosis, 38 patients (39%) died, 11 (28.9%) from leukemic evolution. Only two patients (2.5%) stopped B-ESA for toxicity. The 24-month survival was significantly affected by response to B-ESA (70.8% in AR vs. 55.3% in non-responder patients, p = .016). In multivariate analysis, age ≤ 70 years (p = .029) and Hb > 8.5 g/dl (p = .047) at baseline were significantly associated with improved survival, with a trend for longer survival in AR patients (p = .06).

CONCLUSIONS

B-ESA seems to be an effective and well-tolerated option for anemia treatment in the MF setting. This strategy deserves further clinical investigation.

Role of Cresp® in the management of chemotherapy-induced anemia in cancer patients: A real-world clinical practice audit

Introduction

Anemia is a common, underestimated problem in cancer patients receiving myelosuppressive chemotherapy and has significant adverse effect on the quality of life and outcome. Darbepoetin has been shown to be effective in this setting, but controversy surrounds it actual use.

Methods

We analyzed prospectively collected clinical practice data of patients receiving darbepoetin in a real-world setting for this retrospective audit. Patients with baseline hemoglobin (Hb) of <11 g/dl were included in this analysis. Their medical records were audited using a predetermined 35-point pro forma.

Results

There were a total of 274 patients with advanced cancer receiving myelosuppressive chemotherapy who had baseline Hb <11 g/dl and who were given darbepoetin. Head-and-neck squamous cell carcinoma, lung cancer, and breast cancer were the most common cancers. Their median baseline Hb was 8.9 g/dl which rose to 11.2 g/dl at the end of commenced therapy, along with improved symptomatology. There were no new toxicities, and only two patients required discontinuation of darbepoetin due to toxicity.

Conclusion

Darbepoetin is safe and effective in the prevention and management of anemia among patients receiving myelosuppressive chemotherapy.

Splenic infarction secondary to myelodysplastic syndrome: unravelling more etiologies

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a neoplastic disorder resulting in dysplasia and apoptosis of the hematopoietic clonal cells. The presenting features of MDS are usually dependent on the cellular lineage affected in the bone marrow (BM). Generally, MDS presents in older adults with recurrent infections, anemia, and bleeding tendencies. However, until now, there are no cases of splenic infarction in MDS. Splenic infarction is a rare event and is often reported in myeloproliferative or thromboembolic disorders. In this case report, we present splenic infarction; a never reported clinical manifestation in an MDS patient.

Hematological Malignancies and Arterial Thromboembolism

Established guidelines exist for prevention and treatment of venous thromboembolism in hematological malignancies, but none for arterial thromboembolism. However, arterial and venous thromboembolism share the same provoking features—including altered procoagulant factors and defective fibrinolytic system. The morbidity for arterial thromboembolism is increasing in hematological malignancies, with the advent of immunomodulatory and targeted therapy. However, survival rate for hematological malignancy is improving. Consequently, as patients with hematological malignancies live longer, comorbidities including diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidemia, may accentuate arterial thrombosis. Thus far, the scientific literature on prophylaxis and treatment for arterial thromboembolism in hematological malignancies is limited. This review highlights the pathogenesis, incidence and clinical features of arterial thromboembolism in hematological malignancies.

Thrombotic Risk from Chemotherapy and Other Cancer Therapies

Cancer patients have an increased risk of thrombosis. The development of cancer thrombosis is dependent on a number of factors including cancer type, stage, various biologic markers, and the use of central venous catheters. In addition, cancer treatment itself may increase thrombotic risk. Tamoxifen increases the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) by two- to sevenfold, while an impact on risk of arterial thrombosis is uncertain. Immunomodulatory imide drugs (IMiDs) such as thalidomide and lenalidomide increase the risk of VTE in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) by about 10-40% when given in combination with glucocorticoids or other chemotherapy agents; the risk of VTE in MM patients treated with IMiD-containing regimens necessitates that such patients receive thromboprophylaxis with aspirin, low-molecular-weight heparin, or warfarin. Among cytotoxic chemotherapy agents, cisplatin, and to a lesser extent fluorouracil, has been described in association with thrombosis. L-asparaginase in treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia is significantly associated with increased thrombosis particularly affecting the CNS, which may be due to acquired antithrombin deficiency; at some centers, plasma infusions or antithrombin replacement is used to mitigate this. Bevacizumab, an inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor, increases arterial and possibly venous thrombotic risk, although the literature is conflicting about the latter. Supportive care agents in cancer care, such as erythropoiesis-stimulating agents, granulocyte colony stimulating factor, and steroids, also have some impact on thrombosis. This review summarizes the mechanisms by which these and other therapies modulate thrombotic risks and how such risks may be managed.

Anemia is associated with poor outcomes of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, a systematic review and meta-analysis

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) was an important management for metastatic prostate cancer. However, patients would finally progress to the metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) and lose sensitivity to ADT. In addition to lower testosterone level, ADT could cause anemia, which might impair the chemotherapy efficiency and worsen the outcomes of cancer patients. However, inconsistent results were found between anemia and mCRPC prognosis. Our study was the first systematic review to evaluate the influence of anemia in mCRPC prognosis. Thirteen studies with 6,484 samples were involved in this meta-analysis. We found anemia would worsen the Overall survival (OS) of mCRPC patients in both prognostic designed studies (HR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.24-1.94) and retrospective designed studies (HR = 1.82, 95% CI = 1.52-2.18). Prognostic analyses also demonstrated that anemia associated with poor Progression free survival (PFS) (HR = 1.47, 95% CI = 1.22-1.75). In conclusion, we found that anemia was significantly associated with poor OS and PFS of mCRPC patients. Larger RCTs are needed for future study, especially for the evaluation of treatment value for anti-anemia in mCRPC.

Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents and cardiovascular events in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome and multiple myeloma

Introduction

Erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA) treatment has been associated with an increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with solid tumors and with an increased risk of cardiovascular events in patients with chronic kidney disease. The ESA-related risk in patients with hematological neoplasms remains unclear. We, therefore, aimed to assess the ESA-related risk of VTE, myocardial infarction (MI), and stroke in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).

Materials and methods

We conducted a population-based cohort study in Denmark, using medical databases to identify 2,114 MDS patients and 3,105 MM patients diagnosed in 2004–2013. Incidence rates per 1,000 person-years and hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for VTE, MI, and stroke associated with ESA treatment were computed. HRs were calculated in time-dependent Cox regression and adjusted for age, sex, MDS prognosis group, comorbidities, and treatments.

Results

Incidence rates per 1,000 person-years for VTE, MI, and stroke were 10.8, 8.2, and 16.0 in MDS patients, and 21.9, 10.2 and 9.9 in MM patients without ESA treatment, respectively. MDS patients with ESA treatment had a 1.6-fold increased risk of MI (HR 1.60 [95% CI 0.90–2.86]) and an almost twofold increased risk of stroke (HR 1.94 [95% CI 1.28–2.94]). Adjusted HR for VTE was 1.04 (95% CI 0.57–1.89) compared with MDS patients without ESAs. In MM patients with ESAs compared with patients without ESAs, HRs were 1.41 (95% CI 0.96–2.08) for VTE, 1.23 (95% CI 0.68–2.20) for MI, and 1.63 (95% CI 0.96–2.77) for stroke.

Conclusion

ESA use was associated with stroke in MDS patients. Among MM patients, ESA treatment was associated with a higher risk of all cardiovascular events, although all CIs included equivalence.

A phase 3 randomized placebo-controlled trial of darbepoetin alfa in patients with anemia and lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes

The use of darbepoetin alfa to treat anemia in patients with lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) was evaluated in a phase 3 trial. Eligible patients had low/intermediate-1 risk MDS, hemoglobin ⩽10 g/dl, low transfusion burden and serum erythropoietin (EPO) ⩽500 mU/ml. Patients were randomized 2:1 to receive 24 weeks of subcutaneous darbepoetin alfa 500 μg or placebo every 3 weeks (Q3W), followed by 48 weeks of open-label darbepoetin alfa. A total of 147 patients were randomized, with median hemoglobin of 9.3 (Q1:8.8, Q3:9.7) g/dl and median baseline serum EPO of 69 (Q1:36, Q3:158) mU/ml. Transfusion incidence from weeks 5–24 was significantly lower with darbepoetin alfa versus placebo (36.1% (35/97) versus 59.2% (29/49), P=0.008) and erythroid response rates increased significantly with darbepoetin alfa (14.7% (11/75 evaluable) versus 0% (0/35 evaluable), P=0.016). In the 48-week open-label period, dose frequency increased from Q3W to Q2W in 81% (102/126) of patients; this was associated with a higher hematologic improvement–erythroid response rate (34.7% (34/98)). Safety results were consistent with a previous darbepoetin alfa phase 2 MDS trial. In conclusion, 24 weeks of darbepoetin alfa Q3W significantly reduced transfusions and increased rates of erythroid response with no new safety signals in lower-risk MDS (registered as EudraCT#2009-016522-14 and NCT#01362140).

Predictive factors for anemia response to erythropoiesis-stimulating agents in myelofibrosis

OBJECTIVE

Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) are commonly used to treat the anemia of myelofibrosis (MF), but information on the predictors of response is limited.

METHODS

Results of ESA therapy were analyzed in 163 MF patients with severe anemia, most of whom had inadequate erythropoietin (EPO) levels (<125 U/L) at treatment start.

RESULTS

According to the revised criteria of the International Working Group for Myelofibrosis Treatment and Research, anemia response was achieved in 86 patients (53%). Median response duration was 19.3 months. In multivariate analysis, baseline factors associated with a higher response rate were female sex (P=.007), leukocyte count ≥10×10⁹ /L (P=.033), and serum ferritin <200 ng/mL (P=.002). Patients with 2 or 3 of the above features had a significantly higher response rate than the remainder (73% vs 28%, respectively; P<.001). Over the 373 patient-years of follow-up on ESA treatment, nine patients developed thrombotic complications (six arterial, three venous), accounting for 2.41 events per 100 patient-years. Survival time from ESA start was longer in anemia responders than in non-responders (P=.011).

CONCLUSION

Besides the already established predictive value of EPO levels, these data can help to identify which MF patients are more likely to benefit from ESA treatment.

Acute Cerebral Infarction as a Rare Thrombotic Event in Myelodysplastic Syndrome: A Case Report

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a bone marrow failure syndrome characterized by cytopenia that results in high risks of infection and bleeding. However, there are few reports of cerebral infarction in MDS. We reported a 72-year-old female with MDS who developed acute cerebral infarction. Clinical history of the patient revealed no definite risk factors for stroke except diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia that was well controlled. This case represented the rare occurrence of arterial thrombosis causing acute cerebral infarction in MDS, which may be due to complex chromosomal abnormality and inflammatory processes.

Treatment of low-risk myelodysplastic syndromes

The majority of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients belong to the International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) and IPSS-revised (IPSS-R) lower-risk categories. Their precise diagnostics and prognostic stratification is often a challenge, but may ensure the optimization of therapy. The availability of diverse treatment options has significantly improved the quality of life and survival of this group of patients. Anemia is the most relevant cytopenia in terms of frequency and symptoms in lower-risk MDS, and may be treated successfully with erythropoietic stimulating agents, provided a careful selection is performed on the basis of IPSS-R, endogenous erythropoietin levels, and transfusion independence. Doses and duration of therapy of erythropoietic-stimulating agents (ESAs) are critical to determine efficacy. In case a patient fails ESA treatment, the available options may include lenalidomide (approved for del5q positive cases), hypomethylating agents, and a rather large number of experimental agents, whose clinical trials should be offered to a larger number of MDS patients. The choice for second-line treatment must take into account biologic, cytogenetic, and molecular-identified characteristics of individual patients, as well as frailty and comorbidities. Other cytopenias are less frequently presenting as isolated. Specific therapy for thrombocytopenia has been proposed in experimental clinical trials with thrombomimetic agents that have shown good efficacy, but raised some safety concern. Although neutropenia is targeted symptomatically with growth factor supportive care, the immunosuppressive treatments are indicated mainly for pancytopenic, hypoplastic lower-risk MDS; they are not widely used because of their toxicity, despite the fact that they may induce responses. Finally, hematopoietic stem cell transplant is the curative option also for lower-risk MDS and timing should be carefully evaluated, balancing toxicity and the possibility of survival advantage. Finally, even when considered suitable for lower-risk MDS, transplant application is limited to the rarer fit and younger MDS patient.

Real-life use of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents in myelodysplastic syndromes: a "Gruppo Romano Mielodisplasie (GROM)" multicenter study

The Gruppo Romano Mielodisplasie (GROM) conducted a retrospective study in 543 patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) to evaluate the safety and efficacy of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) in "real-life" clinical practice. The 40.000-UI/week erythropoietin (EPO)-alpha and 30.000-UI/week EPO-beta starting dose were defined "standard," and 80,000 UI/week EPO-alpha and 60.000 UI/week EPO-beta were defined "high." Response was defined according to International Working Group (IWG) 2006 criteria. At ESA's start, median age was 74.2 years (interquartile range (IR) 67.8-79.5) and median hemoglobin was 8.9 g/dl (IR 8.2-9.6). Median time from diagnosis to ESAs start was 3.8 months (IR 0.8-13.2). ESA starting dose was "standard" in 361 patients (66.5 %) and "high" in 182 patients (33.5 %). Erythroid response was observed in 82/185 (44.3 %) transfusion dependent (TD) patients as compared with 226/329 (68.6 %) transfusion independent (TI) ones (p < 0.001). At multivariate analysis, in TD patients, only endogenous EPO levels <50 mU/l were significant (p = 0.046), whereas in TI patients, high-dose ESAs (p < 0.001), abnormal creatinine levels (0.009), and endogenous EPO levels <50 mU/l (p = 0.014) were predictors of response. Responders showed a higher 5-year overall survival (OS) (57.8 vs. 32.2 %, p < 0.001) and leukemia-free survival (76.0 vs. 49.8 %, p < 0.001). At multivariable analysis for OS, response to ESA, low International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS), no transfusion need, and female sex showed an independent favorable prognostic role. Our results confirm that treatment with ESAs is effective in a real-life MDS setting, particularly at high dose and in TI patients. Prospective studies are needed to define the optimal starting dose.

Anemia as the Main Manifestation of Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a constellation of different diseases sharing anemia in the great majority of cases, and this cytopenia defines these pathologies and their most dramatic clinical manifestations. Anemia in MDS is due to ineffective erythropoiesis, with a high degree of apoptosis of marrow erythroid progenitors. These progenitors show distinctive dysplastic features that consent diagnosis, and are recognizable and differentiated, although not easily, from other morphologic alterations present in other types of anemia. Reaching the diagnosis of MDS in a macrocytic anemia and alleviating the symptoms of anemia are therefore an essential objective of the treating physician. In this work, the signs and symptoms of anemia in MDS, as well as its peculiar pathophysiology, are discussed. Erythopoietic stimulating agents (ESAs) are providing the best treatment for anemic MDS patients, but their use is still not approved by health agencies. While still waiting for this waiver, their clinical use is widespread and their effectivness is well known, as well as the dismal prognosis of patients who do not respond to ESAs and require transfusions. MDS with del5q constitute a unique model of anemia whose complex pathophysiology has been clarified at least partially, defining its link to ribosomal alterations likewise what observed in hereditary anemias like Blackfan Diamond anemia. Lenalidomide is the agent that has shown striking and specific erythropoietic activity in del5q MDS, and the basis of this response is starting to be understood. Several new agents are under evaluation for ESA refractory/relapsed MDS patients, targeting different putative mechanisms of ineffective erythropoiesis, and are here reviewed.

Racial variation in the clinical and economic burden of skeletal-related events among elderly men with stage IV metastatic prostate cancer

Prostate cancer (PCa) outcomes vary widely among African American (AA) and non-Hispanic White (NHW) men. The authors investigated racial variation in the incidence of skeletal-related events (SREs) and SRE-related healthcare costs among AA and NHW men, a topic that has received limited attention in the literature. AA and NHW men diagnosed with metastatic PCa were identified from the linked Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results-Medicare dataset. The sample included 6455 men with metastatic PCa, including 5420 NHW men and 1035 AA men. Approximately 16% experienced SREs during follow-up. AA men were less likely to experience SREs compared with NHW men, controlling for individual characteristics (adjusted odds ratio: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.66- 0.94). The SRE-specific costs were US$35,725 (US$22,190-US$49,260) among AA men and US$25,896 (US$21,669-US$30,123) among NHW men. Although AA men were less likely to experience SREs, there were substantial costs attributable to the treatment of SREs among AA men.

Darbepoetin alfa for anemia with myelodysplastic syndrome

The myelodysplastic syndromes are characterized by refractory cytopenias that lead to symptomatic anemia, bleeding, and increased risk for infections. For almost two decades, the use of darbepoetin and other erythropoietin stimulating agents to treat symptomatic anemia in lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes has been a standard of care. This practice is supported by numerous Phase I/II studies and one Phase III study demonstrating the benefit of using erythropoietin stimulating agents alone, or in combination with granulocyte colony stimulating factor, for treatment of symptomatic anemia with the goal of decreasing red blood cell transfusion requirements. This review summarizes the published experience regarding the use of erythropoietin stimulating agents, with a special focus on darbepoetin, in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome and symptomatic anemia.

Resuscitating a dying marrow: the role of hematopoietic growth factors

The treatment landscape for myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) has evolved over the last two decades, with a better understanding of the disease pathophysiology and the use of newer or combination therapies. For lower-risk MDS patients, hematopoietic growth factors have continued to be the mainstay of therapy. However, better patient selection criteria and decision tools to predict responses have made these therapies more beneficial to patients. As the range of newer drugs continues to expand in our treatment armamentarium for lower-risk MDS, questions still remain regarding the safety of these drugs with long-term use. This review will discuss the role of growth factors in MDS, focusing on dosing and combination strategies to improve responses, selecting the appropriate patient population, and recognizing the safety profile based on evidence from published literature.

The economic burden of skeletal-related events among elderly men with metastatic prostate cancer

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Advanced prostate cancer patients with bone metastasis are predisposed to skeletal complications termed skeletal-related events (SREs). There is limited information available on Medicare costs associated with treating SREs. The objective of this study was to ascertain SRE-related costs among older men with metastatic prostate cancer in the US.

METHODS

We analysed patients aged 66 years or older who were diagnosed with incident stage IV (M1) prostate cancer between 2000 and 2007 from the linked Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER)-Medicare dataset. A propensity score for the incidence of an SRE was estimated using a logistic regression model including demographic and clinical baseline variables. Patients with SREs (cases) were matched to patients without SREs (controls) based on the propensity score, length of follow-up (i.e. date of prostate cancer diagnosis to last date of observation) and death. Health resource utilization cost differences between cases and controls over time were compared using generalized linear models. Healthcare costs were examined by type of SRE (pathological fracture only, pathological fracture with concurrent surgery, spinal cord compression only, spinal cord compression with concurrent surgery, and bone surgery only) and by source of care (inpatient, physician/non-institutional provider, skilled nursing facility, outpatient and hospice). All costs were adjusted to 2009 US dollars, using the medical care component of the Consumer Price Index.

RESULTS

Application of the inclusion criteria resulted in 1,131 metastatic prostate cancer patients with SREs and 6,067 patients without SREs during follow-up. The average age of the sample was 79 years, and 14 % were African American. A total of 928 patients with SREs were matched to 928 patients without SREs. The average health care utilization cost of patients with SREs was US$29,696 (95 % confidence interval [CI] US$24,730-US$34,662) higher than that of the controls. The most expensive SRE group was spinal cord compression with concurrent surgery (US$82,868: 95 % CI US$67,472-US$98,264) followed by bone surgery only (US$37,496: 95 % CI US$29,684-US$45,308), pathological fracture with concurrent surgery (US$34,169: 95 % CI US$25,837-US$ 42,501), spinal cord compression only (US$25,793: 95 % CI US$20,933-US$30,653) and pathological fracture only (US$14,649: 95 % CI US$6,537-US$22,761). The largest cost difference by source of care was observed for hospitalizations (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Metastatic prostate cancer patients with SREs incur higher costs compared to similar patients without SREs. SRE costs among older stage IV (M1) prostate cancer patients vary by SRE type, with spinal cord compression and concurrent surgery costing at least twice as much as other SREs.

Current therapy of myelodysplastic syndromes

After being a neglected and poorly-understood disorder for many years, there has been a recent explosion of data regarding the complex pathogenesis of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). On the therapeutic front, the approval of azacitidine, decitabine, and lenalidomide in the last decade was a major breakthrough. Nonetheless, the responses to these agents are limited and most patients progress within 2 years. Allogeneic stem cell transplantation remains the only potentially curative therapy, but it is associated with significant toxicity and limited efficacy. Lack or loss of response after standard therapies is associated with dismal outcomes. Many unanswered questions remain regarding the optimal use of current therapies including patient selection, response prediction, therapy sequencing and combinations, and management of resistance. It is hoped that the improved understanding of the underpinnings of the complex mechanisms of pathogenesis will be translated into novel therapeutic approaches and better prognostic/predictive tools that would facilitate accurate risk-adaptive therapy.

Treatment of low-risk myelodysplastic syndrome: hematopoietic growth factors erythropoietins and thrombopoietins

The use of erythropoietic growth factors has become standard of care in many countries for lower risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients. Throughout a large number of clinical trials, therapy with erythropoietic agents has consistently shown improvement of anemia and reduction of transfusion dependence. There is currently no evidence of safety issues of erythropoietins in MDS, including thrombosis, polycythemia, and progressive disease. Large retrospective comparative analyses have shown no increase in mortality in erythropoietin (EPO)-treated MDS patients. Doses of up to 80,000 IU/wk have successfully been employed and the addition of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) can benefit previously unresponsive patients. Although several other combination therapies have been tested, apart from G-CSF, none has gained wide clinical acceptance. Thrombopoietic agents can alleviate thrombocytopenia and bleeding symptoms in lower risk MDS patients. However, concerns regarding a higher rate of transformation to acute myeloid leukemia and the fear of increased bone marrow fibrosis during treatment have hampered their clinical development.

Myelodysplastic syndromes: what do hospitalists need to know?

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) comprise a heterogeneous group of clonal hematopoietic stem cell disorders characterized by dysplasia, ineffective hematopoiesis leading to peripheral blood cytopenias, and a variable risk of leukemic progression. MDS primarily affects the elderly, and although its prevalence is increasing, MDS is frequently overlooked and underdiagnosed. MDS should be suspected in any patient with unexplained cytopenias, and a bone marrow evaluation is ultimately needed to make the diagnosis and exclude other causes of bone marrow failure. The last 15 years have witnessed significant advances in our understanding of the complex pathogenesis, classification and prognostication, and therapeutic approaches to MDS. Several prognostic models facilitate outcome prediction and risk-adapted therapy. The addition of azacitidine, decitabine, and lenalidomide to erythropoiesis-stimulating agents in our armamentarium offered new effective therapeutic options for many patients who are not candidates for intensive interventions. Improved understanding of the genetic, epigenetic, and immunologic mechanisms that operate in MDS will help develop better prognostication tools and rationally design more effective therapies. Hospitalists are likely to encounter both patients with MDS and patients in whom MDS should be suspected. In this review of MDS, we focus on the epidemiology, diagnosis, pathogenesis, classification and prognostic tools, and treatment options.

Patterns of erythropoiesis-stimulating agent use among Medicare beneficiaries with myelodysplastic syndromes and consistency with clinical guidelines

Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESA) are used commonly to reduce symptomatic anemia in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). We assessed population-based patterns of ESA use relative to treatment guidelines using data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registries, with linked Medicare claims providing detailed treatment data from 2001 through 2005. The study found widespread use (62%) of ESA in Medicare beneficiaries with MDS. Similar ESA use rates regardless of risk status, low frequency (45%) of serum erythropoietin determination prior to ESA initiation, and high prevalence (60.4%) of short-duration ESA episodes suggest clinically important discrepancies between actual practice and guideline-recommended therapy.

Novel therapeutic strategies: hypomethylating agents and beyond

The treatment of symptomatic and high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) spans several therapeutic goals and options. Key to the successful therapy of these heterogeneous diseases is careful characterization and diagnosis, including clinical, cytogenetic, biological, and molecular evaluation of individual patients. Any novel management strategy in MDS must be based on accepted and validated prognostic scoring systems, such as the International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS), and should take into account predictive parameters of response to the available therapeutic agents and individual comorbidities. For IPSS lower-risk MDS patients, several first-line options are available, including erythropoietic stimulating agents, lenalidomide, and immunosuppressive drugs. Sequential therapy is advisable whenever response is lost, and the activity of azacitidine and decitabine in first- or second-line therapy is relevant, especially in patients with symptomatic cytopenias and anemia. Hypomethylating agents have a central role in therapy of IPSS higher-risk MDS patients. These agents include azacitidine and decitabine, which allow treatment of very elderly and frail patients, resulting in hematological improvement and transfusion independency in roughly half, and for azacitidine a demonstrated significant prolongation of survival. Because hypomethylating agents are not curative, they are not satisfactory for younger MDS patients, for whom a transplantation strategy should be planned. Although hypomethylating agent therapy is used extensively, a growing number of MDS patients fail to respond or progress. The future challenge is not only to find treatment regimens that target the dysplastic clone(s) so that durable remissions are achieved (particularly in high-risk patients with short survival and/or increased leukemic transformation rates), but also to also identify active salvage regimens.