Exploring the Treatment Landscape for Myeloproliferative Neoplasms

John O. Mascarenhas, MD, associate professor of medicine, hematology, and medical oncology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, director of the Adult Leukemia Program, and leader of Clinical Investigation within the Myeloproliferative Disorders Program at Mount Sinai, discusses the current treatment options for patients with myelofibrosis (MF).

Currently, there is only 1 treatment modality that can potentially offer cure to patients, and this is hematopoietic stem cell transplant, says Mascarenhas. However, this option cannot be offered to every patient with MF due to a number of different reasons, such as advanced age or other competing medical issues. It is also associated with significant toxicity.

There are a number of JAK inhibitors in the field of MF now, which are exciting, but Mascarenhas says these will not cure the disease. However, these advances are still important options for patients with MF. In the future, investigators are aiming to use mechanism-based combination therapy, which can include a JAK inhibitor backbone, to offer improved outcomes for patients with MF.