SOHO 2023 | Managing adverse events with novel therapies in lower-risk MDS
Valeria Santini, MD, University of Florence, Florence, Italy, discusses the management of adverse events (AEs) in patients with lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (LR-MDS) treated with novel agents, including imetelstat and luspatercept. Prof. Santini highlights AEs commonly associated with these agents, and further comments on the importance of monitoring patients closely for hemoglobin counts and general quality of life (QoL). This interview took place at the Eleventh Annual Meeting of the Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO 2023) held in Houston, TX.
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Transcript (edited for clarity)
So adverse events are our main problem with lower-risk MDS, because we don’t want to harm them while treating them and increasing their hemoglobin level, mainly. Because the most frequent cytopenia is anemia, which is giving a lot of symptoms, and of course affecting quality of life. Luspatercept has very small side effects, among which fatigue can be one, but it’s a rather safe drug...
So adverse events are our main problem with lower-risk MDS, because we don’t want to harm them while treating them and increasing their hemoglobin level, mainly. Because the most frequent cytopenia is anemia, which is giving a lot of symptoms, and of course affecting quality of life. Luspatercept has very small side effects, among which fatigue can be one, but it’s a rather safe drug. Imetelstat, that is not yet approved as I mentioned, can give a little bit more problems because of its myelosuppressive effect, but as hematologists we are used to it. It is a transient effect that is causing thrombocytopenia and neutropenia, that are again reversible within a short period of time. So these patients treated with both luspatercept and imetelstat have to be followed up very closely because they need to be checked for their counts and for their quality of life in general. Luspatercept does not give a myelosuppressive effect, but little bit more of a systemic mild adverse event.
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