Advances In Treatments For Patients With Myelodysplastic Syndromes Take Center Stage At 10th Annual International Symposium In Patras, Greece

Main Category: Cancer / Oncology
Also Included In: Bones / Orthopedics
Article Date: 14 May 2009 - 0:00 PDT

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The Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) Foundation announced highlights from its successful 10th International Symposium on MDS, which was held in Patras, Greece. As the premier conference for MDS research, the meeting brought together more than 1100 of the leading scientists in the field from around the globe to discuss advances in the understanding and treatment of MDS - a collection of potentially deadly blood disorders.

The conference was punctuated with new data spotlighting recent progress in MDS treatments, including data from studies that revealed improvements in key measurements such as drug safety and tolerability, patient survival times and independence from blood transfusions. Some of the highlights follow.

Extending Overall Survival for Patients with MDS

At this year's Symposium, Vassiliki Pappa, MD, of the Propaedeutic University of Athens presented data demonstrating that patients with MDS who were treated with azacitidine (VIDAZA) had an estimated overall survival time of 22 months. Azacitidine is the first therapy shown to improve overall survival for patients with MDS. Dr. Pappa suggested that, based on the findings, azacitidine is an effective first-line treatment for patients with intermediate and high-risk MDS.

Patients over the age of 75 reaped the same overall survival benefits with azacitidine as those under 75, according to a presentation by Valeria Santini, MD, of the University of Florence.

Eliminating the Need for Transfusions and Improving Quality of Life

Patients living with MDS are often dependent on blood cell transfusions, which are inconvenient and come with their own set of risks. But data presented at the Symposium demonstrated that new treatments are reducing this dependence for MDS patients.

Dr. Pappa revealed that azacitidine reduced dependence on transfusions from more than 80 percent of patients prior to treatment to 30 percent after treatment. Lewis Silverman, MD, of Mount Sinai School of Medicine reviewed data demonstrating the ability of azacitidine, alone or in combination with other therapeutic agents, to reduce patients' dependence on blood transfusions. Dr. Silverman asserted that continued treatment over time seemed to be especially important for uncovering the maximum benefits of azacitidine therapy.

The benefits are not restricted to patients enrolled in clinical trials, based on findings from David Grinblatt, MD, of the North Shore University Health System, Evanston, IL. In community-based settings, he showed patients with MDS achieved transfusion independence within the first two cycles of therapy with azacitidine at a rate comparable to that reported in clinical trials.

For patients with low and intermediate-1-risk MDS associated with the 5q chromosomal deletion, oral lenalidomide (REVLIMID) therapy improved transfusion independence and overall quality of life, according to a presentation from Esther Olivia, MD, of the University La Sapienza.

"These data presented at this year's MDS congress are encouraging for both physicians and patients and further demonstrate the major advancements that are continuing to be made in treating hematologic conditions such as MDS over the past several years," said Kathy Heptinstall, Operating Director of the Myelodysplastic Syndromes Foundation, "We are hopeful about the potential of novel therapies, including azacitidine and lenalidomide, which are helping patients to live longer with a better quality of life."

Source
MDS Foundation

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