Treatment of Myelodysplastic Syndromes with del 5q before the Lenalidomide Era: The GFM Experience.

Background: MDS with del 5q are characterized by profound anemia, which until the recent introduction of lenalidomide (

Patients: MDS with del 5q included in 419 MDS treated with EPO or Darbepoetin (DAR) ± G-CSF by GFM centers (including 3 successive GFM trials:

Results: 48 MDS with del 5q received EPO (or DAR) ± G-CSF, including 30 pts with del 5q alone, 9 with one and 9 with >1 additional cytogenetic abn; 21/48 had marrow blasts ≥5% (7 had >10%). 17 had the “5q- syndrome” according to WHO. Median pre-treatment EPO level was 287 UI/L (range 12–5,665), i.e. significantly more than in non del 5q cases (median 68, p<0.001). 22/48 pts (46%) had erythroid response, including 15 major and 7 minor (11 responses after EPO or DAR alone and 11 after EPO or DAR + G-CSF) vs. 64% in pts without del 5q (p=0.01) (p= 0.066 after adjustment for marrow blasts). The response rate was 52%, 55%, 22% and 33%, respectively in del 5q pts with the 5q- syndrome, one additional cytogenetic abn, >1 additional cytogenetic abn, and marrow blasts ≥5%. Response duration was significantly shorter in MDS with del 5q than in other MDS (mean 12 vs. 24 months, p=0.019) and in pts with 5q- syndrome vs. other MDS with marrow blasts <5% (mean 11vs. 24months, p=0.025). 20 pts with del 5q were treated with thalidomide. 6/20 had an erythroid response (30 %, including 3 major and 3 minor responses) vs. 29% of other MDS (p=NS)

Conclusion: MDS with del 5q with ≤1 additional cytogenetic abn and no excess of marrow blasts may have erythroid response to EPO ± G-CSF but responses are generally very short, while response rates to thalidomide are low. Those results are clearly inferior to results obtained with lenalidomide in MDS with del 5q.