Highlighting Current Advances for the Treatment of Myeloproliferative Neoplasms

Ruben Mesa, MD, director of the Mays Cancer Center, home to UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the current state of the treatment landscape for patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs).

Mesa says this is an exciting time for the treatment of patients with MPNs, particularly in patients with essential thrombocytopenia and polycythemia vera after data were presented at the 2019 American Society of Hematology Meeting. Long-acting interferons continue to play a role in this space and are superior to hydroxyurea in both the first- and second-line settings.

In terms of myelofibrosis, a number of robust therapies are under development, including novel combinations of JAK inhibitors, Mesa says. BET inhibitors, TGF-beta inhibitors, LSD1 inhibitors, among others are under development for use both in combination and also as single-agents. Overall, this is an exciting time with a lot of new agents and treatment strategies under development, Mesa concludes. Hypomethylating agents and others are likely to have benefit for patients with advanced MPNs, as well, he says.

<< View more information from Ruben Mesa, MD