Dr. Rampal on Symptoms of Disease Progression in Myelofibrosis

Raajit K. Rampal, MD, PhD, hematologic oncologist, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses symptoms of disease progression in myelofibrosis.

No clear definition of disease progression exists in myelofibrosis, but certain factors can be indicative of progression, including patient-reported symptoms, Rampal explains. For example, a patient who had stable disease with JAK inhibitor therapy and begins reporting recurrence of initial symptoms or emergence of new symptoms could be experiencing symptomatic disease progression, Rampal explains.

Hematologic indicators of progression include decreased platelets or hemoglobin that require transfusion in a patient with previously transfusion-independent myelofibrosis receiving JAK inhibitors, says Rampal. The presence of increased circulating blasts is another indicator of progression to accelerated phase myelofibrosis or beyond, Rampal says. Finally, increased spleen or liver size, confirmed radiographically by scans, is consistent with disease progression in myelofibrosis, Rampal concludes.