Reducing The Need For Transfusions In MDS
- Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) occurs when there is a dysfunction in the bone marrow, which leads to the production of defective blood cells.
- Many patients who have MDS have to deal with anemia, which is when there aren’t enough healthy red blood cells. These patients often have to rely on blood transfusions, which can be frustrating and require many hospital stays.
- Now, a drug called luspatercept (brand name: Reblozyl) is showing promise in reducing how often patients with low-risk MDS need blood transfusions.
- “This drug is really powerful with significant responses in over 70% of the patients. And again, great durability of those responses. So the implications are huge for our patients in terms of transfusion needs and quality of life,” MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Dr. Guillermo Garcia-Manero tells SurvivorNet.
“The majority of the patients with myelodysplastic syndrome will need transfusions. This is something that if we could avoid, we should,” Dr. Guillermo Garcia-Manero, chief of the Myelodysplastic Syndromes Section at the Department of Leukemia at MD Anderson Cancer Center, tells SurvivorNet. “These transfusions come with some risks. They are very minimal, but over time you can build iron in your body, you could be exposed to some infectious complications and eventually what happens is you start reacting to the blood that you’re receiving from donors.”
Read MoreWhat Is Reblozyl?
Reblozyl is a medication prescribed for the treatment of anemia in adults with specific types of MDS or myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms. These individuals require regular transfusions of red blood cells and have either not responded to or cannot be treated with an erythropoiesis-stimulating agent, such as epoetin. Additionally, luspatercept is utilized for managing anemia in adults with beta thalassemia, an inherited blood disorder, who also rely on regular red blood cell transfusions.“In the last four years, we have seen very significant improvements in how we approach the treatment of these patients. One of the major breakthroughs that we saw was development of this drug,” Dr. Garcia-Manero explains. “This drug is really powerful with significant responses in over 70% of the patients. And again, great durability of those responses. So the implications are huge for our patients in terms of transfusion needs and quality of life.”
Luspatercept is not chemotherapy. It is a biotherapy. This medication aids in increasing the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow.
Patients will require fewer trips to the doctor for injections because luspatercept is given once every 3 weeks. Other commonly used drugs such as Erythropoietin Stimulating Agents (EPAs) are given weekly.
What Are The Side Effects?
Like all medications, Reblozyl can cause side effects.
The most common ones reported in clinical trials include:
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Joint or muscle pain
- Dizziness
- Nausea or diarrhea
Some people also experienced high blood pressure or blood clots, though these were less common. Your healthcare team will watch closely for any of these side effects and help manage them if they occur.
What Does The Data Show?
The global phase III COMMANDS clinical trial was an open-label, randomized phase III trial which included 354 people from more than 20 countries who had lower-risk MDS and required red blood cell transfusions to treat anemia.
The participants in this study had not previously received treatment with an ESA. The participants were divided into two groups:
- 178 received luspatercept by injection once every 3 weeks for at least 24 weeks
- 176 received epoetin alfa (an ESA) by injection once a week for at least 24 weeks
Participants in this study were adults aged 18 years and older. The median age of the participants was 74 years, and most were white (80%) and men (56%).
When compared with epoetin alfa, luspatercept nearly doubled the number of patients who no longer needed blood transfusions.
“This was very significant numbers with responses over 70% as opposed to half of that for the epoetin alfa. But what I think is more important is the duration of those responses. The median duration of response on the luspatercept arm is actually over 120 weeks. So we’re talking actually very significant duration of those responses,” Dr. Garcia-Manero explains.
Is Reblozyl Right For Me?
Living with low-risk MDS can be frustrating, especially when anemia takes away your energy and keeps you tied to the hospital for transfusions. Reblozyl is a promising new option that may help your body produce more of its own red blood cells — potentially reducing the need for transfusions and improving your quality of life.
It’s not a cure for MDS, but it’s a step forward. And for many people, that step makes a big difference.
If you or a loved one has MDS and is struggling with anemia, talk to your doctor about whether Reblozyl might be an option worth exploring.
Questions To Ask Your Doctor
- What risk level is my MDS? Is it low-risk?
- Are there tests available to assess my risk level?
- What treatment options can help reduce my need for blood transfusions?
- Am I eligible for Rebolzyl?
- How does that medication differ from what I am currently receiving?
- Are their side effects associated with Reblozyl?
- Are there ways to manage those side effects?
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
ANSWER QUESTIONS
