Can pegylated interferon improve the outcome of polycythemia vera patients?
Abstract Pegylated interferon (peg-IFN) was proven by phase II trials to be effective in polycythemia vera (PV); however, it is not clear whether it could improve patient outcome compared to hydroxyurea (HU). Here, we present an observational study on 65 PV patients aged 65 years or younger, who rec...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2017-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Hematology & Oncology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13045-017-0395-1 |
| _version_ | 1818081809757372416 |
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| author | Elena Crisà Marco Cerrano Eloise Beggiato Giulia Benevolo Giuseppe Lanzarone Paola Maria Manzini Alessandra Borchiellini Ludovica Riera Mario Boccadoro Dario Ferrero |
| author_facet | Elena Crisà Marco Cerrano Eloise Beggiato Giulia Benevolo Giuseppe Lanzarone Paola Maria Manzini Alessandra Borchiellini Ludovica Riera Mario Boccadoro Dario Ferrero |
| author_sort | Elena Crisà |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Pegylated interferon (peg-IFN) was proven by phase II trials to be effective in polycythemia vera (PV); however, it is not clear whether it could improve patient outcome compared to hydroxyurea (HU). Here, we present an observational study on 65 PV patients aged 65 years or younger, who received either peg-IFN (30) or HU (35) according to the physician choice. Median follow-up was 75 months. The two cohorts were comparable for patient and disease characteristics. Eighty-seven percent of the patients treated with peg-INF responded, with a CR rate of 70% as compared to 100 and 49% with HU, respectively. Discontinuation rate was similar in the two groups (20% in peg-IFN vs 17% in HU). JAK2 allele burden was monitored in peg-INF arm only, and a reduction was observed in 88% of the patients. No thrombotic events were observed during peg-IFN treatment compared to three on HU. Disease progression to myelofibrosis or acute myeloid leukemia occurred to a patient only in peg-INF, compared to three in HU. Overall, three second malignancies were observed during the study, two in patients who received HU only, and one in a patient largely treated HU who received also peg-IFN for 3 months. Overall survival was significantly better for peg-IFN patients compared to HU, p = 0.027. Our study, albeit limited by small patient and event number and lack of randomization, confirms the efficacy of peg-INF in PV and shows a significant survival advantage for peg-INF-treated patients. Waiting for confirming data from the ongoing phase III trials, our study can support peg-INF as a first-line treatment option for PV, at least for younger patients. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T19:12:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5141d009ae64455891fb053726504d18 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1756-8722 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T19:12:07Z |
| publishDate | 2017-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Hematology & Oncology |
| spelling | doaj.art-5141d009ae64455891fb053726504d182022-12-22T01:36:41ZengBMCJournal of Hematology & Oncology1756-87222017-01-011011410.1186/s13045-017-0395-1Can pegylated interferon improve the outcome of polycythemia vera patients?Elena Crisà0Marco Cerrano1Eloise Beggiato2Giulia Benevolo3Giuseppe Lanzarone4Paola Maria Manzini5Alessandra Borchiellini6Ludovica Riera7Mario Boccadoro8Dario Ferrero9Hematology Division, Università degli Studi di TorinoHematology Division, Università degli Studi di TorinoHematology Division, Università degli Studi di TorinoS.C. Hematology, A.O. Città della Salute e della ScienzaHematology Division, Università degli Studi di TorinoTransfusion Medicine Unit, A.O. Città della Salute e della ScienzaHematology Division, Università degli Studi di TorinoSection of Pathology, Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of TorinoHematology Division, Università degli Studi di TorinoHematology Division, Università degli Studi di TorinoAbstract Pegylated interferon (peg-IFN) was proven by phase II trials to be effective in polycythemia vera (PV); however, it is not clear whether it could improve patient outcome compared to hydroxyurea (HU). Here, we present an observational study on 65 PV patients aged 65 years or younger, who received either peg-IFN (30) or HU (35) according to the physician choice. Median follow-up was 75 months. The two cohorts were comparable for patient and disease characteristics. Eighty-seven percent of the patients treated with peg-INF responded, with a CR rate of 70% as compared to 100 and 49% with HU, respectively. Discontinuation rate was similar in the two groups (20% in peg-IFN vs 17% in HU). JAK2 allele burden was monitored in peg-INF arm only, and a reduction was observed in 88% of the patients. No thrombotic events were observed during peg-IFN treatment compared to three on HU. Disease progression to myelofibrosis or acute myeloid leukemia occurred to a patient only in peg-INF, compared to three in HU. Overall, three second malignancies were observed during the study, two in patients who received HU only, and one in a patient largely treated HU who received also peg-IFN for 3 months. Overall survival was significantly better for peg-IFN patients compared to HU, p = 0.027. Our study, albeit limited by small patient and event number and lack of randomization, confirms the efficacy of peg-INF in PV and shows a significant survival advantage for peg-INF-treated patients. Waiting for confirming data from the ongoing phase III trials, our study can support peg-INF as a first-line treatment option for PV, at least for younger patients.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13045-017-0395-1Pegylated interferonPolycythemia veraJAK2 allele burdenHydroxyurea |
| spellingShingle | Elena Crisà Marco Cerrano Eloise Beggiato Giulia Benevolo Giuseppe Lanzarone Paola Maria Manzini Alessandra Borchiellini Ludovica Riera Mario Boccadoro Dario Ferrero Can pegylated interferon improve the outcome of polycythemia vera patients? Journal of Hematology & Oncology Pegylated interferon Polycythemia vera JAK2 allele burden Hydroxyurea |
| title | Can pegylated interferon improve the outcome of polycythemia vera patients? |
| title_full | Can pegylated interferon improve the outcome of polycythemia vera patients? |
| title_fullStr | Can pegylated interferon improve the outcome of polycythemia vera patients? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Can pegylated interferon improve the outcome of polycythemia vera patients? |
| title_short | Can pegylated interferon improve the outcome of polycythemia vera patients? |
| title_sort | can pegylated interferon improve the outcome of polycythemia vera patients |
| topic | Pegylated interferon Polycythemia vera JAK2 allele burden Hydroxyurea |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13045-017-0395-1 |
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