Mayor erythropoietic response after deferasirox treatment in a transfusion-dependent anemic patient with primary myelofibrosis

Sustained Erythroid Response in a Patient with Myelofibrosis Receiving Concomitant Treatment with Ruxolitinib and Deferasirox

Iron overload (IOL) due to transfusion-dependent anemia is a serious adverse effect in patients with myelofibrosis (MF). Recent studies have shown that the oral iron chelator deferasirox may prevent multiple organ damage due to IOL in MF. However, it is not clear whether deferasirox may contribute to revert transfusion-dependent anemia. Here, we present a patient with transfusion-dependent intermediate-2 MF according to the International Prognostic Scoring System treated with ruxolitinib in combination with deferasirox. In addition to a reduced serum ferritin level, the patient required less blood transfusions, ultimately resulting in long-lasting transfusion-free survival.

Durable Red Blood Cell Transfusion Independence in a Patient with an MDS/MPN Overlap Syndrome Following Discontinuation of Iron Chelation Therapy

Background. Hematologic improvement (HI) occurs in some patients with acquired anemias and transfusional iron overload receiving iron chelation therapy (ICT) but there is little information on transfusion status after stopping chelation. Case Report. A patient with low IPSS risk RARS-T evolved to myelofibrosis developed a regular red blood cell (RBC) transfusion requirement. There was no response to a six-month course of study medication or to erythropoietin for three months. At 27 months of transfusion dependence, she started deferasirox and within 6 weeks became RBC transfusion independent, with the hemoglobin normalizing by 10 weeks of chelation. After 12 months of chelation, deferasirox was stopped; she remains RBC transfusion independent with a normal hemoglobin 17 months later. We report the patient's course in detail and review the literature on HI with chelation. Discussion. There are reports of transfusion independence with ICT, but that transfusion independence may be sustained long term after stopping chelation deserves emphasis. This observation suggests that reduction of iron overload may have a lasting favorable effect on bone marrow failure in at least some patients with acquired anemias.

Iron chelation therapy with deferasirox in the management of iron overload in primary myelofibrosis

Deferasirox (DSX) is the principal option currently available for iron-chelation-therapy (ICT), principally in the management of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), while in primary myelofibrosis (PMF) the expertise is limited. We analyzed our experience in 10 PMF with transfusion-dependent anemia, treated with DSX from September 2010 to December 2013. The median dose tolerated of DSX was 750 mg/day (10 mg/kg/day), with 3 transient interruption of treatment for drug-related adverse events (AEs) and 3 definitive discontinuation for grade 3/4 AEs. According to IWG 2006 criteria, erythroid responses with DSX were observed in 4/10 patients (40%), 2 of them (20%) obtaining transfusion independence. Absolute changes in median serum ferritin levels (Delta ferritin) were greater in hematologic responder (HR) compared with non-responder (NR) patients, already at 6 months of ICT respect to baseline. Our preliminary data open new insights regarding the benefit of ICT not only in MDS, but also in PMF with the possibility to obtain an erythroid response, overall in 40 % of patients. HR patients receiving DSX seem to have a better survival and a lower incidence of leukemic transformation (PMF-BP). Delta ferritin evaluation at 6 months could represent a significant predictor for a different survival and PMF-BP. However, the tolerability of the drug seems to be lower compared to MDS, both in terms of lower median tolerated dose and for higher frequency of discontinuation for AEs. The biological mechanism of action of DSX in chronic myeloproliferative setting through an independent NF-κB inhibition could be involved, but further investigations are required.