Dr. Bradley on Ruxolitinib in Myeloproliferative Neoplasms

Terrence J. Bradley, MD, assistant professor, Department of Medicine, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Health System, discusses the use of ruxolitinib (Jakafi) in the treatment of patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs).

Ruxolitinib is a JAK1/2 inhibitor that is approved by the FDA for the treatment of patients with myelofibrosis (MF) and polycythemia vera (PV). In MF, ruxolitinib has been shown to improve overall survival (OS) in comparison with placebo and best available therapy. In PV, ruxolitinib is indicated for use in the second-line setting for patients who have progressed on hydroxyurea. In PV, ruxolitinib has demonstrated a reduction the splenic volume in patients, thereby reducing their symptomatic burden, says Bradley.

Although the agent has yet to demonstrate an improvement in OS in PV, the rates of OS may be underestimated since crossover was allowed in the phase III COMFORT-I/II trial in MF as well as in the phase III RESPONSE trial in PV, concludes Bradley.