[Myeloproliferative neoplasms: recent progresses in therapy]

The expected survival duration of polycythemia vera (PV) and essential thrombocythemia (ET) patients is not substantially lower than that of the general population. The current goal of therapy is to prevent thrombohemorrhagic events associated with PV and ET. The current first line therapy for PV is phlebotomy, hydroxyurea (HU), and aspirin, while that for ET was HU or anagrelide. The follow-up phase 3 randomized trial wherein the hematological response was evaluated in PV patients treated with ropeginterferon alfa-2b, a next-generation monopegylated IFN-α-2b, or HU, demonstrated a superior hematological effect and a lower incidence of adverse events in patients who were treated with ropeginterferon. The prognosis of primary myelofibrosis (PMF) is poorer than that of PV or ET. The only curative therapeutic option for PMF patients is allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Other than HSCT options, ruxolitinib ameliorates splenomegaly and MF-associated symptoms and provides an overall survival benefit in PMF patients with intermediate-2 or high risk. Several different JAK inhibitors have been developed; however, many of them were discontinued because of toxicity concerns. Recently, promising results have been demonstrated for the effect of different JAK inhibitors as well as the drugs that directly target anemia and bone marrow fibrosis.