Managing Anemia in Lower-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS)

Medical experts discuss currently available treatments MDS.

Drs Koprivnikar and Chedid highlight prognostic scoring systems in MDS.

Medical experts examine the role of luspatercept as a first-line treatment for anemia in lower-risk MDS patients, including those with RS+/RS- and serum EPO ≤200 mU/L, and discuss its efficacy and potential benefits for this population.

Medical experts explore how improved hemoglobin levels with luspatercept treatment impact overall well-being and daily functioning, with insights from the post-hoc analysis of the COMMANDS study revealing relationships between hemoglobin levels and quality of life.

Clinicians discuss personalized approaches to initiating and adjusting luspatercept dosing, considering individual patient responses and tolerability, while also examining insights from the MAXILUS study, which explored starting treatment at the maximum approved dose.

Experts discuss factors influencing the choice between luspatercept and erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) for initial anemia treatment, considerations for transitioning patients from ESAs to luspatercept, optimal timing for such transitions, and the clinical benefits of luspatercept dose titration as evidenced by real-world data presented at EHA 2024.

Jamie Koprivnikar, MD, and Solly Chedid, MD, discuss ways to continue to advance the treatment landscape for lower-risk MDS, particularly in managing anemia and improving quality of life for patients.

Experts on lower-risk MDS discuss when to switch to a topoisomerase inhibitor versus going to a hypomethylating agent.