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enrolled in this study were younger
than age 65 at diagnosis, so the results
may not apply to an older population.
Dr. Kröger said that, in recent years, a
greater number of older patients have
received HCT – begging for a similar
study in this population.
Also, the analysis did not include
patients treated with JAK inhibitors
like ruxolitinb, which may affect life
expectancy in patients with primary
myelofibrosis. A retrospective 2014
study published in Blood found that
patients with primary myelofibrosis
and int-2 or high DIPSS risk scores had
a median life expectancy of ≤4 years,
while patients with higher DIPSS risks
who received ruxolitinib treatment
(95% CI 0.41-0.91; p=0.0148).2
Dr. Kröger explained that his group’s
study was “performed in the ‘preruxolitinib era,’ so [results] may change if
ruxolitinib pre-treatment was included.”
In the current study, this inclusion was
not possible because the follow-up for
ruxolitinib-treated patient is currently
too short. He added that a study with
ruxolitinib is “mandatory” and that his
group is planning a prospective trial.
Although the study was limited by a
small number of patients, the findings
confirm the benefit for HCT in patients
with high-ri ͬ