No abstract

LBA6501 Background: MF, a myeloproliferative neoplasm characterized by dysregulation of the JAK pathway, is associated with splenomegaly, constitutional symptoms and reduced lifespan. Ruxolitinib is a potent and selective JAK1 and JAK2 inhibitor. Methods: COMFORT-II, a randomized (2:1) phase III study, compared the efficacy and safety of ruxolitinib PO BID with BAT (other agents or no therapy) in adults with intermediate-2 or high-risk (Cervantes et al, Blood 2009) PMF, PPV-MF or PET-MF and palpable splenomegaly. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients (pts), stratified by baseline risk category, achieving ≥ 35% reduction in spleen volume at week (wk) 48 determined by MRI or CT. The key secondary endpoint was the proportion achieving ≥ 35% reduction in spleen volume at wk 24. Results: 219 pts were randomized: 146 to ruxolitinib and 73 to BAT. Both arms included 49% high- and 51% intermediate-2 risk pts. The wk 48 response rate was 28.5% vs 0% (ruxolitinib vs BAT, P < .0001). The wk 24 response rate was 31.9% vs 0% (ruxolitinib vs BAT, P < .0001). Median duration of response to ruxolitinib was 48 wks. The most common (> 20%) adverse events (AEs) of any grade were (ruxolitinib vs BAT) thrombocytopenia (44.5% vs 9.6%), anemia (40.4% vs 12.3%), diarrhea (24.0% vs 11.0%), and peripheral edema (21.9% vs 26.0%). Grade 3-4 AEs occurring in ≥ 5% of pts in the ruxolitinib arm were: anemia (11%) and thrombocytopenia (7.5%). The most frequent grade 3-4 AEs in the BAT arm were anemia, thrombocytopenia, pneumonia and dyspnea (each 4.1%). Seven deaths occurred on treatment or within 28 days after end of treatment: 4 (2.7%) ruxolitinib and 3 (4.1%) BAT. Disposition of discontinuations were (ruxolitinib vs BAT) 8.2% vs 5.5% due to AEs and 1.4% vs 12.3% due to withdrawn consent. Conclusions: The COMFORT-II study demonstrates that ruxolitinib provides marked and sustained clinical benefit in spleen size and an acceptable safety profile relative to BAT, extends the positive results of COMFORT-I which compared ruxolitinib with placebo, and may result in a new standard of care for a large number of patients with MF.

795FN2 Background: Ruxolitinib (INC424), a potent and selective oral JAK1 and JAK2 inhibitor, demonstrated rapid and durable reductions in splenomegaly and improved disease-related symptoms, role functioning, and quality of life (QoL) in 2 phase 3 studies in patients with myelofibrosis (MF) (the COMFORT studies). Per-protocol, patient-reported, health-related QoL (HRQoL) and symptoms analyses in the COMFORT-II study are limited. Here we report on additional post hoc analyses of these outcomes. The COMFORT-II study includes 219 patients (ruxolitinib, n=146; best available therapy [BAT], n=73). At entry, all patients were classified into intermediate 2-risk or high-risk prognostic groups (Cervantes F, et al. Blood, 2009;113(13):2895-2901) and had palpable splenomegaly ≥5 cm below the costal margin. Patients could have received prior therapy for MF. On BAT, doses and schedules or no therapy were selected by the investigator; therapy adjustments were permitted during the randomized treatment phase at the investigator's discretion. Patients in both arms continued in the randomized treatment phase as long as there was no protocol-defined disease progression. Methods: The European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QoL Questionnaire–Core 30 (QLQ-C30) and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Lymphoma (FACT-Lym) questionnaires were assessed at baseline and weeks 8, 16, 24, and 48. EORTC QLQ-C30 consists of 30 items combined into 15 subscales (Global Health Status/QoL, 5 functioning subscales, and 9 symptom subscales; scores range from 0 to 100, and higher scores indicate better HRQoL and functioning but a worsening of symptoms). FACT-Lym consists of 42 items combined into 8 subscales (4 well-being subscales; 1 symptom subscale [LymS]; and 3 total scale scores: FACT-General [G], FACT-Lym trial outcome index [TOI], and FACT-Lym total; scores for the different subscales vary from 0–28 to 0–168, and higher scores indicate better outcomes). This analysis includes evaluable patients in the randomized treatment phase and assesses changes from baseline in HRQoL and MF symptom scores, including the EORTC subscales, LymS, and FACT total scores, which incorporate well-being and/or symptom subscales. Mixed-model analyses, adjusted for age, sex, baseline score, and prognostic risk category, are used to evaluate treatment differences at each time point and overall across time. Results: HRQoL and MF symptoms, on average, improved compared with baseline for patients receiving ruxolitinib, but remained the same or worsened for patients receiving BAT. Based on the EORTC QLQ-C30, the treatment differences in physical functioning, role functioning, fatigue, and appetite loss significantly favored ruxolitinib starting at week 8 (P <.05) and remained significant at week 48 (P <.05). The overall between-treatment differences (on average across time) in adjusted mean change from baseline for MF symptom scores (95% confidence interval) were: Fatigue, –10.2 (–15.9, –4.5; P <.001); Dyspnea, –11.6 (–17.6, –5.6; P <.001); Appetite loss, –16.3 (–21.5, –11.1; P <.0001); Insomnia, –9.8 (–16.7, –3.0; P <.01); and Pain, –9.0 (–14.9, –3.0), P <.01); negative values favor ruxolitinib. Global Health Status/QoL (Figure) was significantly improved in the ruxolitinib arm compared with the BAT arm at weeks 8, 16, and 48. Scores on the LymS, which includes symptoms of pain, swelling, fever, night sweats, itching, trouble sleeping, fatigue, weight loss, loss of appetite, trouble concentrating, and other patient concerns, also improved significantly during treatment (Figure). Additionally, FACT-G, FACT-Lym TOI, and FACT-Lym total scores were all significantly (P <.05) improved for patients receiving ruxolitinib treatment compared with BAT. Most EORTC QLQ-C30 and FACT-Lym scores improved significantly on ruxolitinib compared with BAT. The treatment effect between the high-risk and intermediate 2-risk prognostic groups was not significantly different based on an analysis of the risk group–by–treatment interaction. Conclusions: These additional analyses from the COMFORT-II study further support that ruxolitinib significantly improves overall HRQoL and MF symptoms compared with BAT. Disclosures: Harrison: Novartis: Honoraria; Incyte: Honoraria; S*Bio: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria; Sanofi Aventis: Honoraria. Kiladjian:Novartis: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria. Gisslinger:Novartis: Speakers Bureau; Celgene Austria: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Aop-Orphan: Speakers Bureau. Knoops:Novartis: Consultancy. Waltzman:Novartis: Employment. Mendelson:Novartis: Employment, Equity Ownership. Zhou:RTI-HS: Employment; Novartis: Research Funding. Copley-Merriman:RTI-HS: Employment; Novartis: Research Funding. Hunter:Incyte Corporation: Employment, Equity Ownership. Levy:Incyte Corporation: Employment, Equity Ownership. Cervantes:Bristol-Myers-Squibb: Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau. Passamonti:Novartis: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Vannucchi:Novartis: Honoraria. Barosi:Novartis: Consultancy.

BackgroundPhysical activity (PA) is a non-pharmacological approach to alleviate symptom burden and improve health-related quality of life (HrQoL) in cancer patients (pts). Whether pts with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) PA behavior changes due to symptom burden and/or knowledge of the putative beneficial effects of PA has not yet been investigated.MethodsWe performed a large questionnaire study in MPN pts. Self-reported PA behavior and potential influencing factors of 634 MPN pts were analyzed. Questionnaires were used to assess demographics, anxiety, severity of symptoms, HrQoL, current level of everyday and sports activities, and the level of information regarding the importance/possibilities of PA. According to their PA, the pts were assigned to the three groups: “inactive”, “non-targeted active”, and “sporty active” and compared with each other.ResultsKey findings are that in 73% of the pts, the disease had an impact on PA, with 30% of pts reducing their PA. The prevalence of anxieties (e.g., occurrence of thrombosis and bleeding) regarding PA was 45%. Sporty active pts had a lower symptom burden and better HrQoL (p ≤ 0.001) compared to the other groups. Inactive pts were significantly older and had a higher body mass index than sporty active pts. Inactive and non-targeted active pts felt less informed about the importance/possibilities of PA (p = 0.002).ConclusionOur results suggest that especially older and non-sporty MPN pts could benefit from motivational as well as disease-specific PA information. This study was registered at the German Registry of Clinical Trials, DRKS00023698.