Therapeutic decision-making in primary myelofibrosis (PMF) is becoming more challenging because of the increasing use of allogeneic stem cell transplantation and new investigational drugs. To enhance this process by developing a highly discriminative prognostic system, 1054 patients consecutively diagnosed with PMF at 7 centers were studied. Overall median survival was 69 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 61-76). Multivariate analysis of parameters obtained at disease diagnosis identified age greater than 65 years, presence of constitutional symptoms, hemoglobin level less than 10 g/dL, leukocyte count greater than 25 ؋ 10 9 /L, and circulating blast cells 1% or greater as predictors of shortened survival. Based on the presence of 0 (low risk), 1 (intermediate risk-1), 2 (intermediate risk-2) or greater than or equal to 3 (high risk) of these variables, 4 risk groups with no overlapping in their survival curves were delineated; respective median survivals were 135, 95, 48, and 27 months (P < .001). Compared with prior prognostic models, the new risk stratification system displayed higher predictive accuracy, replicability, and discriminating power. In 409 patients with assessable metaphases, cytogenetic abnormalities were associated with shorter survival, but their independent contribution to prognosis was restricted to patients in the intermediate-risk groups. JAK2V617F did not cluster with a specific risk group or affect survival. IntroductionPrimary myelofibrosis (PMF) 1 is classified as a chronic myeloproliferative disorder and characterized by variable degrees of cytopenia(s) and/or cytosis, a leukoerythroblastic blood picture, bone marrow fibrosis, and extramedullary hematopoiesis often resulting in hepatosplenomegaly. 2 From a pathogenesis standpoint, the disease features clonal proliferation involving pluripotent hematopoietic stem cells, 3,4 and clonal cell-derived cytokines are implicated for some of the disease aspects such as bone marrow fibrosis and extramedullary hematopoiesis. 2 Most recently, JAK2 5-7 and MPL 8-10 mutations were described in approximately 50% and 10% of patients with PMF, respectively. However, the precise pathogenetic contribution of these mutations is currently not well defined.PMF usually affects subjects with advanced age, 11 but young people are not necessarily spared. 12 Reported median survivals are variable and in the range of 4-7 years. 13,14 Previous studies have identified several adverse prognostic factors for survival, including advanced age, [15][16][17][18][19] marked anemia, 13-22 leukocytosis or leukopenia, 14,16,18,22 abnormal karyotype, 18,23-25 constitutional symptoms, 13,14,17,22 and presence of circulating blasts. 13,14,22 Based on some of these variables, several prognostic scoring systems have been proposed. 12,13,18,19,22,26 More recently, the prognostic value of blood CD34 ϩ cell count 27,28 and JAK2 mutational status [29][30][31] has also been evaluated.Current drug therapy for PMF has not been shown to influence survival and is often used for pal...

ATRA plus arsenic trioxide is at least not inferior and may be superior to ATRA plus chemotherapy in the treatment of patients with low-to-intermediate-risk APL. (Funded by Associazione Italiana contro le Leucemie and others; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00482833.).

Age older than 65 years, hemoglobin level lower than 100 g/L (10 g/dL), white blood cell count greater than 25 ؋ 10 9 /L, peripheral blood blasts 1% or higher, and constitutional symptoms have been shown to predict poor survival in primary myelofibrosis (PMF) at diagnosis. To investigate whether the acquisition of these factors during follow-up predicts survival, we studied 525 PMF patients regularly followed. All 5 variables had a significant impact on survival when analyzed as time- IntroductionPrimary myelofibrosis (PMF) is a Philadelphia-negative myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) whose diagnostic criteria have been recently updated. 1 Among MPNs, PMF has the most heterogeneous clinical presentation, which may encompass anemia, splenomegaly, leukocytosis or leukopenia, thrombocytosis or thrombocytopenia, and constitutional symptoms. The discovery of the activating mutation JAK2 (V617F) in more than 70% of patients with MPNs 2 led to the development of new biochemically selective JAK2 inhibitors. 3 These agents are currently being tested in clinical trials that usually include patients with long disease history.Advanced age, 4-7 anemia, 4-11 red blood cell transfusion need, 12 leukopenia, 8 leukocytosis, 8 thrombocytopenia, 9 peripheral blast count, 4,6 systemic symptoms, 6,10 degree of microvessel density, 13 and cytogenetic abnormalities 5,7,9,[14][15][16] were shown to be associated with poor outcome in patients with PMF. The presence of the JAK2 (V617F) mutation per se does not seem to imply worse survival, 17 although a low JAK2 (V617F) allele burden seems associated with poorer outcome. 18,19 Recently, Cervantes et al 17 on behalf of the International Working Group for Myeloproliferative Neoplasms Research and Treatment (IWG-MRT) developed a prognostic scoring system to estimate survival of PMF patients. This model uses 5 factors (age older than 65 years, hemoglobin level Ͻ 100 g/L [10 g/dL], white blood cell count Ͼ 25 ϫ 10 9 /L, peripheral blood blasts Ն 1%, and presence of constitutional symptoms) to identify 4 risk categories with different survival.Prognostic models for PMF developed so far are based on the evaluation of risk factors present at diagnosis. However, the acquisition of additional risk factors during the disease course may substantially modify the patients' outcome. A dynamic prognostic model that accounts for modifications of the risk profile after diagnosis may prove useful in clinical practice. On behalf of IWG-MRT, first we investigated whether the acquisition anytime during follow-up of one or more of the prognostic factors identified by Cervantes et al 17 predicts survival. Then, a new prognostic score based on a time-dependent risk evaluation was developed: the Dynamic International Prognostic Scoring System (DIPSS) for PMF. MethodsThe study was carried out through an international cooperation on behalf of the IWG-MRT. An ad hoc database was developed for data collection. For personal use only. on May 12, 2018. by guest www.bloodjournal.org From Study designThe Institutional Rev...

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