Treatment and survival outcomes in patients with MF: A real-world study

Results from a multicenter, real-world study evaluating treatment patterns and survival outcomes in 1,649 patients with myelofibrosis (MF) from the Spanish Myelofibrosis Registry who were diagnosed from 2010 onwards, a period spanning the introduction of Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKi), were published in the British Journal of Haematology by Hernández-Boluda et al. The main study outcome was relative survival following MF diagnosis, defined as the ratio between the actuarial survival observed in the group of patients studied, and the expected survival derived from a subset of the general population matched to the patients by age, sex, and calendar year of diagnosis. 

Key data: JAKi were administered to 51.5% of patients. At a median follow-up of 5.4 years, median overall survival (OS) was 6.6 years, with no significant difference between primary and secondary MF (6.0 years vs 7.3 years; p = 0.078). Relative survival at 5 and 10 years was 68% and 44%, respectively, compared with the matched general population. The reduction in survival was greatest among patients aged >65 years (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 2.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.0–3.1; p < 0.001) and male patients (IRR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.34–2.06; p < 0.001). Among patients with high-risk International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) scores, 10-year relative survival was 12%. 

Key learning: In this study, MF was associated with reduced life expectancy compared with the general population, particularly among older and male patients, highlighting the continued need for improved management strategies.