Luspatercept Improved Certain PROs in ESA-Naïve, Transfusion-Dependent LR-MDS

Treatment with luspatercept not only improved certain clinical outcomes among patients with erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA)-naïve, transfusion-dependent, lower-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (LR-MDS) compared with epoetin alfa, but also led to sustained improvement in quality-of-life domains, according to data from the COMMANDS study presented at the 65th ASH Annual Meeting & Exposition.

Esther Natalie Oliva, MD, of Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Bianchi Melacrino Morelli, Reggio di Calabria, Italy, and colleagues assessed patient-reported outcomes (PROs) among patients in the trial, who were randomly assigned to luspatercept or epoetin alfa.

Assessments were done with both the EORTC Quality-of-Life Questionnaire Core 30 (QLQ-C30) and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Anemia (FACT-An) questionnaire.

The EORTC QLQ-C30 evaluable population was 150 patients assigned to luspatercept and 144 patients assigned to epoetin alfa. There was a higher rate of sustained improvement through week 25 day 1 for all domains of the EORTC QLQ-C30 and FACT-An among patients assigned to luspatercept compared with those assigned to epoetin alfa. Significant differences were seen with luspatercept for dyspnea (hazard ratio=3.18), role functioning, cognitive functioning, pain, insomnia, appetite loss, constipation, and financial difficulties.

There was a similar level of treatment tolerability among patients assigned to either treatment arm, and the majority of patients in the trial who were still on either treatment reported to be “not at all” bothered by treatment side effects through week 25 day one.

According to the researchers, “All of these PRO findings further support the benefits of luspatercept in ESA-naïve and transfusion-dependent patients with LR-MDS.”

Reference

Oliva EN, Platzbecker U, Della Porta MG, et al. Patient-reported outcomes (PRO) of luspatercept versus epoetin alfa in erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA)-naïve, transfusion-dependent (TD), lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (LR-MDS): results from the phase 3 COMMANDS study. Abstract #4596. Presented at the 65th ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition; December 9-12, 2023; San Diego, California.