The Outlook for JAK Inhibitors in Myelofibrosis

Clinical Pearls

Ayalew Tefferi, MD, hematologist, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, discusses the outlook for JAK inhibitors for patients with myelofibrosis.

• No JAK inhibitor can elicit PR or CR in myelofibrosis
• JAK inhibitors have good palliative value and are able to help a patient gain weight and shrink their spleen
• An oncologist wants to cure cancer or put it to sleep — JAK inhibitors will never rise to that level
• There remains a need for pilot studies with innovative drugs that could potentially clear cancer