Low-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (LR-MDS) is an acquired bone marrow disorder that manifests with symptomatic anemia. Many patients become dependent on red blood cell transfusions. Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) are the first-line treatment, but not all patients with LR-MDS respond to ESAs, and many become refractory to ESAs over time. Although advances have been made in the treatment of anemia in patients with MDS, there remains a significant unmet need for new and better treatment options for patients with ESA-refractory, transfusion-dependent MDS.
Timely identification of patients who become ESA refractory is critical for primary care physicians to promptly request referral to hematology specialists. Delays in referral can contribute to increased disease burden and lower quality of life (QoL) for patients. To achieve optimal patient outcomes requires multi-disciplinary team-based management and collaboration among primary care and hematology specialty care providers. With recent FDA approvals and emerging positive trial data, the multi-disciplinary care teams are faced with learning how to integrate new treatment options and associated guidelines into real-world clinical practice thus making clinical decision-making much more complex.
This educational activity, featuring an expert panel discussion, will review the identification of ESA failure in patients with LR-MDS and the importance of timely referral to hematology specialists. Also presented will be emerging evidence from recent clinical trials surrounding the effectiveness and optimal use of novel therapies in ESA-refractory LR-MDS presented at major hematology/oncology medical meetings that could have implications on current and future interprofessional care team treatment planning.
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