Baseline factors associated with response to ruxolitinib: an independent study on 408 patients with myelofibrosis

In patients with Myelofibrosis (MF) treated with ruxolitinib (RUX), the response is unpredictable at therapy start. We retrospectively evaluated the impact of clinical/laboratory factors on responses in 408 patients treated with RUX according to prescribing obligations in 18 Italian Hematology Centers. At 6 months, 114 out of 327 (34.9%) evaluable patients achieved a spleen response. By multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression model, pre-treatment factors negatively correlating with spleen response were: high/intermediate-2 IPSS risk (p= 0.024), large splenomegaly (p= 0.017), transfusion dependency (p= 0.022), platelet count < 200x10(9)/l (p= 0.028), and a time-interval between MF diagnosis and RUX start > 2 years (p= 0.048). Also, patients treated with higher (>= 10 mg BID) average RUX doses in the first 12 weeks achieved higher response rates (p= 0.019). After adjustment for IPSS risk, patients in spleen response at 6 months showed only a trend for better survival compared to non-responders. At 6 months, symptoms response was achieved by 85.5% of 344 evaluable patients; only a higher (> 20) Total Symptom Score significantly correlated with lower probability of response (p<0.001). Increased disease severity, a delay in RUX start and titrated doses < 10 mg BID were associated with patients achievinglower response rates. An early treatment and higher RUX doses may achieve better therapeutic results.