Optimizing Care: Integrative Oncology in Myeloproliferative Neoplasm.

Purpose Of Review: Myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) burdens the lives of those affected. MPN patients endure significant impacts on their physical, psychological, and social well-being. While pharmacological interventions offer some disease and symptom control, they often have unfavorable side effects.

Impact of gender representativeness in online symptom survey and clinical trial participation among patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms.

Patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) face chronic symptom burden. Online symptom assessment studies allow for recruitment of large numbers of motivated patients, but patient self-selection can lead to sampling bias. This study evaluated how gender representativeness in MPN symptom surveys and trials impacted symptom score mean estimates, using data from 4825 survey respondents and 291 trial participants with MPNs.

Integrative Therapies in Cancer Care: An Update on the Guidelines.

Introduction: ASCO and the Society for Integrative Oncology have collaborated to develop guidelines for the application of integrative approaches in the management of anxiety, depression, fatigue and use of cannabinoids and cannabis in patients with cancer. These guidelines provide evidence-based recommendations to improve outcomes and quality of life by enhancing conventional cancer treatment with integrative modalities.

Methods: All studies that informed the guideline recommendations were reviewed by an Expert Panel which was made up of a patient advocate, an ASCO methodologist, oncology providers, and integrative medicine experts.

Lifestyle Factors and Cancer: A Narrative Review.

Lifestyle factors and their impact on cancer prevention, prognosis, and survivorship are increasingly recognized in the medical literature. Lifestyle factors are primarily defined here as diet and physical activity. We conducted a narrative review of the primary published data, including randomized controlled trials and prospective studies, on the impact of primary lifestyle factors on oncogenesis and clinical outcomes in the preventative and survivorship setting.

Myeloproliferative Neoplasms: Contemporary Review and Molecular Landscape.

Myelofibrosis (MF), Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), and MDS/MPN overlap syndromes have a broad range of clinical presentations and molecular abnormalities, making their diagnosis and classification complex. This paper reviews molecular aberration, epigenetic modifications, chromosomal anomalies, and their interactions with cellular and other immune mechanisms in the manifestations of these disease spectra, clinical features, classification, and treatment modalities. The advent of new-generation sequencing has broadened the understanding of the genetic factors involved.

A Review of The Synergistic Effects of Curcumin with Proteasome Inhibitors in Multiple Myeloma Preclinical Models.

Proteasome inhibitors are the cornerstone of multiple myeloma treatment, but challenges still remain despite the increased survival rates. We conducted a review on the role of curcumin, a natural product, as an adjunct to bortezomib and carfilzomib in preclinical multiple myeloma models. Four studies reviewed showed enhanced anticancer effects when curcumin was combined with bortezomib compared to either treatment alone.

Integrative medicine in multiple myeloma and plasma cell disorders.

Introduction: Integrative Medicine (IM) use and efficacy is poorly defined in those with plasma cell disorders (PCD). A 69-question survey on the subject was hosted on HealthTree.org for 3 months.

Innovative strategies to improve hematopoietic stem cell transplant outcomes in myelofibrosis.

Myelofibrosis (MF) is a clonal myeloproliferative neoplasm characterized by inflammation, marrow fibrosis, and an inherent risk of blastic transformation. Hematopoietic allogeneic stem cell transplant is the only potentially curative therapy for this disease, however, survival gains observed for other transplant indications over the past two decades have not been realized for MF. The role of transplantation may also evolve with the use of novel targeted agents.

Mobile App Intervention on Reducing the Myeloproliferative Neoplasm Symptom Burden: Pilot Feasibility and Acceptability Study.

Background: Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are a group of myeloid malignancies associated with significant symptom burden. Despite pharmacological advances in therapies, inadequate management of MPN symptoms results in reduced quality of life.

Objective: This study aims to determine the feasibility of a 12-week global wellness mobile app intervention in decreasing MPN symptom burden.

Plasma cell leukemia: A review of the molecular classification, diagnosis, and evidenced-based treatment.

Plasma cell leukemia is a rare and aggressive plasma cell dyscrasia associated with dismal outcomes. It may arise de novo, primary plasma cell leukemia, or evolve from an antecedent diagnosis of multiple myeloma, secondary plasma cell leukemia. Despite highly effective therapeutics, survival for plasma cell leukemia patients remains poor.

Treatment of scleromyxedema with lenalidomide, bortezomib and dexamethasone: A case report and review of the literature.

Scleromyxedema is a rare and progressive disease that currently has no standard treatment. Triplet therapy with lenalidomide, bortezomib, and dexamethasone can be an effective therapy for scleromyxedema, especially in patients with refractory or relapsed disease.

The SIMM study: Survey of integrative medicine in myeloproliferative neoplasms.

Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are characterized by significant symptom burden. Integrative medicine (IM) offers unique symptom management strategies. This study describes IM interventions utilized by MPN patients and the association with symptom burden, quality of life, depression, and fatigue adjusted for lifestyle confounders.

Understanding the Mechanisms of Diet and Outcomes in Colon, Prostate, and Breast Cancer; Malignant Gliomas; and Cancer Patients on Immunotherapy.

Cancer patients often ask which foods would be best to consume to improve outcomes. This is a difficult question to answer as there are no case-controlled, prospective studies that control for confounding factors. Therefore, a literature review utilizing PubMed was conducted with the goal to find evidence-based support for certain diets in specific cancer patients-specifically, we reviewed data for colon cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, malignant gliomas, and cancer patients on immunotherapy.

Survival following allogeneic transplant in patients with myelofibrosis.

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is the only curative therapy for myelofibrosis (MF). In this large multicenter retrospective study, overall survival (OS) in MF patients treated with allogeneic HCT (551 patients) and without HCT (non-HCT) (1377 patients) was analyzed with Cox proportional hazards model. Survival analysis stratified by the Dynamic International Prognostic Scoring System (DIPSS) revealed that the first year of treatment arm assignment, due to upfront risk of transplant-related mortality (TRM), HCT was associated with inferior OS compared with non-HCT (non-HCT vs HCT: DIPSS intermediate 1 [Int-1]: hazard ratio [HR] = 0.

Emerging Role of Integrative Medicine in Hematologic Malignancies: a Literature Review and Update on Current Trends in Complementary Medical Practices in Hematologic Cancers.

Purpose Of Review: This review discusses the emerging role of integrative hematology. It reinforces the growing interest of CAM among patients, and the importance of provider knowledge and participation in discussions with patients about the subject. The main question asked in this review, "Is there evidence for the use of integrative medicine practices in the field of malignant hematology?" is answered by examining current research and providing relevant summaries.

Online yoga in myeloproliferative neoplasm patients: results of a randomized pilot trial to inform future research.

Background: Myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) patients suffer from significant symptoms, inflammation and reduced quality of life. Yoga improves these outcomes in other cancers, but this hasn't been demonstrated in MPNs. The purpose of this study was to: (1) explore the limited efficacy (does the program show promise of success) of a 12-week online yoga intervention among MPN patients on symptom burden and quality of life and (2) determine feasibility (practicality: to what extent a measure can be carried out) of remotely collecting inflammatory biomarkers.

Perceptions of Myeloproliferative Neoplasm Patients Participating in an Online Yoga Intervention: A Qualitative Study.

Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are rare hematological malignancies with a significant symptom burden often left unresolved despite recent advances in pharmacological therapy. Yoga is a nonpharmacological strategy that has been shown to improve symptoms in other cancers and may be effective for improving symptoms in MPN patients. Online yoga helps address many of the commonly reported barriers of cancer patients to in-person interventions and may make yoga more accessible to MPNs.

Predictive models for splenic response to JAK-inhibitor therapy in patients with myelofibrosis.

JAK inhibitors for myelofibrosis (MF) reduce spleen size, control constitutional symptoms, and may improve survival. We studied the clinical characteristics of 548 MF patients treated with JAK inhibitors from 2008 to 2016 to better understand predictors of splenic response. Response was defined as a 50% decrease in spleen size at early (3-4 months on therapy) and late (5-12 months) timepoints after therapy initiation.

Treatment With JAK Inhibitors in Myelofibrosis Patients Nullifies the Prognostic Impact of Unfavorable Cytogenetics.

Introduction: In the era before Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors, cytogenetic information was used to predict survival in myelofibrosis patients. However, the prognostic value of cytogenetics in the setting of JAK inhibitor therapy remains unknown.

Patients And Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of 180 patients with bone marrow biopsy-proven myelofibrosis from 3 US academic medical centers.

Multicenter phase 2 study of combination therapy with ruxolitinib and danazol in patients with myelofibrosis.

Myelofibrosis is a myeloproliferative neoplasm that is characterized by splenomegaly, profound symptom burden, and cytopenias. JAK inhibitor therapy offers improvements in splenomegaly, symptom burden, and potentially survival; however, cytopenias remain a significant challenge. Danazol has previously demonstrated improvements in myelofibrosis-associated anemia.

Pegylated interferon alpha - 2a is clinically effective and tolerable in myeloproliferative neoplasm patients treated off clinical trial.

Polycythemia vera, essential thrombocytosis, and myelofibrosis are chronic Philadelphia-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms that are characterized by clonal hematopoiesis, splenomegaly, risk of hemorrhagic and thrombotic sequelae, and profound symptom burden. We review the outcomes of 75 myeloproliferative neoplasm patients treated with pegylated interferon alpha 2a off study at an academic medical center. In the 56 treated polycythemia vera and essential thrombocytosis patients, a complete or partial response was obtained in 78.