Azacitidine in CMML: Matched-pair analyses of daily-life patients reveal modest effects on clinical course and survival

Recent data suggest that azacitidine may be beneficial in CMML. We report on 48 CMML-patients treated with azacitidine. Overall response rates were high (70% according to IWG-criteria, including 22% complete responses). Monocyte count and cytogenetics adversely affected survival, whereas age, WHO-type, FABtype, and spleen size did not. Matched-pair analyses revealed a trend for higher two-year-survival for azacitidine as compared to best supportive care (62% vs. 41%, p = 0.067) and longer OS for azacitidine firstline vs. hydroxyurea first-line (p = 0.072, median OS 27.7 vs. 6.2 months). This report reinforces existing evidence that azacitidine is safe and efficacious in both myelodysplastic and myeloproliferative CMML. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.