For US Healthcare Professionals Only
For US Healthcare Professionals Only
Up to 80% or more of patients in my practice are symptomatic despite being on hydroxyurea. It’s crucial that I identify and tease out symptoms when I talk to my patients, especially as some symptoms are present before diagnosis and some patients aren’t aware they may be related to their polycythemia vera.
Andrew Kuykendall, MD,
MPN Expert
Exploratory endpoint from the RESPONSE trial
From The New England Journal of Medicine, Vannucchi AM, Kiladjian JJ, Griesshammer M, et al, Ruxolitinib versus standard therapy for the treatment of polycythemia vera, 372, 426-435. Copyright © 2015 Massachusetts Medical Society. Reprinted with permission from Massachusetts Medical Society.
aHigher symptom score indicates greater severity of symptoms. Cytokine symptom cluster includes tiredness, itching, muscle ache, night sweats, and sweating while awake; hyperviscosity symptom cluster includes vision problems, dizziness, concentration problems, headache, numbness or tingling in the hands or feet, ringing in the ears, and skin redness; and splenomegaly symptom cluster includes abdominal discomfort and early satiety. Patients with data at both baseline (value >0) and week 32 were included in this analysis.1
Exploratory endpoint from the RESPONSE trial
This analysis is exploratory in nature and these results should be interpreted with caution.
From The New England Journal of Medicine, Vannucchi AM, Kiladjian JJ, Griesshammer M, et al, Ruxolitinib versus standard therapy for the treatment of polycythemia vera, 372, 426-435. Copyright © 2015 Massachusetts Medical Society. Reprinted with permission from Massachusetts Medical Society.
aPatients with data at both baseline (value >0) and week 32 were included in this analysis. Negative values indicate a reduction in the severity of symptoms.1
When I have patients who are unable to achieve hematocrit control below 45%, and are experiencing symptoms such as fatigue, pruritus, or night sweats, this tells me that hydroxyurea is no longer sufficient. And that’s when I typically intervene with Jakafi.
HEAR FROM DR MESA ABOUT SYMPTOM MANAGEMENTBAT=best available therapy; Hct=hematocrit; RESPONSE=Randomized study of Efficacy and Safety in POlycythemia vera with JAK iNhibitor ruxolitinib verSus bEst available care; WBC=white blood cell.
References: 1. Vannucchi AM, Kiladjian JJ, Griesshammer M, et al. Ruxolitinib versus standard therapy for the treatment of polycythemia vera. N Engl J Med. 2015;372(5):426-435. Supplementary appendix available at: https://www.nejm.org/doi/suppl/10.1056/NEJMoa1409002/suppl_file/nejmoa1409002_appendix.pdf. 2. Jakafi [package insert]. Wilmington, DE: Incyte Corporation. 3. Data on file. Incyte Corporation. Wilmington, DE.
Indications and Usage
Jakafi® (ruxolitinib) is indicated for treatment of polycythemia vera (PV) in adults who have had an inadequate response to or are intolerant of hydroxyurea.
Jakafi is indicated for treatment of intermediate or high-risk myelofibrosis (MF), including primary MF, post–polycythemia vera MF and post–essential thrombocythemia MF in adults.
Jakafi is indicated for treatment of steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) in adult and pediatric patients 12 years and older.
Jakafi is indicated for treatment of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) after failure of one or two lines of systemic therapy in adult and pediatric patients 12 years and older.
Important Safety Information
Please see Full Prescribing Information for Jakafi.
Indications and Usage
Jakafi® (ruxolitinib) is indicated for treatment of polycythemia vera (PV) in adults who have had an inadequate response to or are intolerant of hydroxyurea.
Jakafi is indicated for treatment of intermediate or high-risk myelofibrosis (MF), including primary MF, post–polycythemia vera MF and post–essential thrombocythemia MF in adults.
Jakafi is indicated for treatment of steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) in adult and pediatric patients 12 years and older.
Jakafi is indicated for treatment of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) after failure of one or two lines of systemic therapy in adult and pediatric patients 12 years and older.
Important Safety Information
Please see Full Prescribing Information for Jakafi.