People with blood cancer who contract Covid-19 infection are among the most exposed to the greatest risks, both for the direct consequences of the virus and for the higher chances of facing complications that require hospitalization in intensive care. Their danger is higher not only compared to the healthy population, but also when compared with that of other categories of patients, including other oncologists. it is essential not to interrupt treatment, both because they are a lifesaver for the sick and in a high percentage of cases today they allow us to reach an important milestone, and for a new good reason: some innovative drugs available today can help them defend themselves against Covid as well, also reducing their mortality. what emerges from an Italian study published in the journal Leukemia which involved patients with chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms, different forms of blood cancers from which about two thousand Italians get sick every year.
The study: the anticancer drug protects against Covid
In fact, research shows that continuing oncological therapies during Sars-CoV-2 infection not only does not aggravate the situation, but can contribute to increasing the survival of patients with myeloproliferative diseases, i.e. polycythemia vera, essential thrombocythemia and myelofibrosis. . Our analysis involved 175 patients with these cancers who received a Covid diagnosis between February and June 2020 – he explains Alessandro Maria Vannucchi, full professor of Hematology at the University of Florence, one of the authors of the survey -. Mortality was higher for patients than in the general population, with a maximum of 48% for those with myelofibrosis. it emerged that mortality increases for those who discontinue ruxolitinib therapy, one of the drugs used to treat myelofibrosis and polycythemia vera. The molecule is an inhibitor of the proteins JAK1 and JAK2, mutated in almost all patients, which recently has also captured the attention of those seeking treatments against Covid – adds Vannucchi -, as it would favor the suppression of the cytokine storm which can make an important contribution to lung damage caused by the viral infection itself. They will be used for other studies to understand the drug’s role in influencing the prognosis of Covid infection in these patients.
What are chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms
Every year about 32 thousand Italians receive the diagnosis of a blood cancer, of which more than 100 different types are known belonging to three large macro-groups: leukemias, lymphomas and myelomas, which are the best known among the layman. Much less known are blood neoplasms belonging to the groups of myelodysplastic syndromes or chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms: polycythemia vera characterized by the progressive increase of red blood cells; essential thrombocythemia involves an excessive increase in the number of platelets; myelofibrosis implies an alteration in the number of blood cells, combined with an increase in the volume of the spleen, weight loss, night sweats, profound fatigue, so as to limit normal work and daily activities. Chronic myeloid tumors can accompany the patient for years without worsening, but carry an increased risk of thrombosis, even fatal. Or they can degenerate into mielofibrosi (if it is polycythemia vera or essential thrombocythemia) or in acuta myeloid leukemia, as occurs in 5-10% of cases. To date there is no “definitive” therapy – says Vannucchi -. With the drugs currently available we are able to control the disease, but not to delay its progression nor to heal the sick, who must undergo regular checks. In particular new medicines for the treatment of polycythemia vera are able to control the excessive increase in the circulating mass of red blood cells, while in subjects with myelofibrosis they improve the symptoms of the disease and reduce the enlargement of the spleen. Advances in patients’ quality of life are evident and we expect further progress from investigational care. Like asciminib, a long-term molecule that appears to decrease thrombotic episodes in patients with polycythemia vera and contribute to improved survival in those with myelofibrosis.
April 1, 2021 (change April 1, 2021 | 19:28)
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