Is Allogeneic Transplantation an Option in Patients Affected by Concurrent Myelofibrosis and Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML)?

Mediterr J Hematol Infect Dis. 2021 Nov 1;13(1):e2021062. doi: 10.4084/MJHID.2021.062. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Classification of myeloproliferative neoplasms is based on hematologic, histopathologic, and molecular characteristics, including the BCR-ABL1 and JAK2 V617F or MPL and CALR. Although the different gene mutations ought to be mutually exclusive, several cases with co-occurring BCR-ABL1 and JAK2 V617F or CALR have been identified with a frequency of 0.2-2.5% in the European population. The tyrosine kinase abnormalities appeared to affect independent subclones because imatinib mesylate (IM) treatment induced Ph+-CML remission, whereas the JAK2V617F clone either persisted or clinically expanded after a major response of Ph+-clone. Allogeneic stem cell transplantation is at present the only potentially curative therapy for these patients after therapy with ruxolitinib and TKI inhibitor. We describe the case of 3 young people treated in our institution for the coexistence of BCR/ABL chronic myeloid leukemia and another Philadelphia chromosome-negative (Ph-) Chronic myeloproliferative disease. They received ruxolitinib, imatinib/nilotinib, and allogeneic transplantation with safe and efficient results.

Keywords: Allogeneic transplantation; Chronic myeloid leukemia; JAK; Myelofibrosis.