The evolving role of lenalidomide in the treatment of hematologic malignancies

Lenalidomide is an immunomodulatory drug, structurally related to thalidomide, which has pleotropic activity, including antiangiogenic and antineoplastic properties. This agent is the product of advances in the understanding of the biology of neoplastic cells, their interaction with the microenvironment and of the underlying molecular pathways. Lenalidomide has shown significant activity in refractory/resistant multiple myeloma, and further studies have shown its activity in other hematologic malignancies with some very encouraging results, especially in subsets of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes. This article reviews the data on lenalidomide use in patients with multiple myeloma, as well as in myelodysplastic syndromes, chronic lymphocytic leukemia and myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia.