Are transplant indications changing for myelofibrosis?

Myelofibrosis is a devastating myeloid malignancy characterized by dysregulation of the JAK-STAT pathway, resulting in splenomegaly, constitutional symptoms, anemia, thrombocytopenia, leukocytosis, and an increased likelihood of progression to acute leukemia. The only curative option is allogeneic stem cell transplantation. The numbers of transplants have been increasing every year, and although there have been improvements in survival, there remain many unanswered questions. In this review, we will evaluate patient selection and appropriate timing for transplantation. We will cover the current prognostic scoring systems, which can aid in the decision of when to move forward with transplant. We will also review the different donor options, as well as the conditioning regimens. The peritransplant management of splenomegaly will be reviewed. We will discuss management of posttransplant complications such as loss of donor chimerism or disease relapse. Finally, we will review what is known about the outlook of patients who have undergone allogeneic stem cell transplant with regards to quality of life and long-term survival.