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8-year-sustained response in a patient with isolated del(5q) myelodysplastic syndrome undergoing continuous treatment with lenalidomide: a case report

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Abstract

The advent of lenalidomide has fundamentally changed the treatment of patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and deletion of the long arm of chromosome 5 (del(5q)), inducing high rates of red blood cell transfusion independence and cytogenetic response. We report a case of an 84-year-old patient with International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS)-defined low-risk MDS with isolated del(5q), who has received continuous lenalidomide treatment for the past 8 years and whose treatment is ongoing. Grade 3 or 4 neutropenia and thrombocytopenia, which occurred in approximately 60 % of the patients during the first weeks of treatment, did not occur in our patient. Also, there were no thromboembolic events or a progression to acute myeloid leukemia. This case highlights the role of lenalidomide in modifying the course of low-risk del(5q) MDS in long-term responders by inducing a durable hematologic response and thereby contributing to control iron overload and improving long-term outcomes in selected patients.

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Acknowledgments

Editorial support for the preparation of the manuscript was provided by Gabriele Berghammer, the text clinic, and funded by Celgene Corporation. The author is fully responsible for the content and editorial decisions related to this manuscript.

Conflict of interest

Martin Farkas declares that there are no actual or potential conflicts of interest in relation to this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division for Hemato-Oncology, 1st Department for Internal Medicine, Landesklinikum Wiener Neustadt, Corvinusring 3–5, 2700, Wiener Neustadt, Austria

    Martin Farkas

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  1. Martin Farkas
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Correspondence to Martin Farkas.

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Farkas, M. 8-year-sustained response in a patient with isolated del(5q) myelodysplastic syndrome undergoing continuous treatment with lenalidomide: a case report. memo 9, 48–51 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12254-015-0242-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12254-015-0242-4

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