Polycythemia vera

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10 regimens on this page 11 variants on this page

Relapsed, refractory, or intolerant

Anagrelide monotherapy

Regimen

Study	Evidence	Comparator	Efficacy
Vannucchi et al. 2015 (RESPONSE)	Phase III	Ruxolitinib	Inferior disease control

To be completed

References

1. Vannucchi AM, Kiladjian JJ, Griesshammer M, Masszi T, Durrant S, Passamonti F, Harrison CN, Pane F, Zachee P, Mesa R, He S, Jones MM, Garrett W, Li J, Pirron U, Habr D, Verstovsek S. Ruxolitinib versus standard therapy for the treatment of polycythemia vera. N Engl J Med. 2015 Jan 29;372(5):426-35. link to original article contains verified protocol link to PMC article PubMed
   1. Update: Verstovsek S, Vannucchi AM, Griesshammer M, Masszi T, Durrant S, Passamonti F, Harrison CN, Pane F, Zachee P, Kirito K, Besses C, Hino M, Moiraghi B, Miller CB, Cazzola M, Rosti V, Blau I, Mesa R, Jones MM, Zhen H, Li J, Francillard N, Habr D, Kiladjian JJ. Ruxolitinib versus best available therapy in patients with Polycythemia Vera: 80 Week follow up from the RESPONSE trial. Haematologica. 2016 Jul;101(7):821-9. Epub 2016 Apr 21. link to original article link to PMC article PubMed

Hydroxyurea monotherapy

Regimen

Study	Evidence	Comparator	Efficacy
Vannucchi et al. 2015 (RESPONSE)	Phase III	Ruxolitinib	Inferior disease control

The following is the approach recommended by Vannucchi in How I Treat (2014).

Chemotherapy

• Hydroxyurea (Hydrea) 500 mg PO BID, with titration based on the target hematocrit and hematologic toxicity

Continued until treatment failure or intolerance

References

1. Vannucchi AM. How I treat polycythemia vera. Blood. 2014 Nov 20;124(22):3212-20. Epub 2014 Oct 2. link to original article PubMed
2. Vannucchi AM, Kiladjian JJ, Griesshammer M, Masszi T, Durrant S, Passamonti F, Harrison CN, Pane F, Zachee P, Mesa R, He S, Jones MM, Garrett W, Li J, Pirron U, Habr D, Verstovsek S. Ruxolitinib versus standard therapy for the treatment of polycythemia vera. N Engl J Med. 2015 Jan 29;372(5):426-35. link to original article contains verified protocol link to PMC article PubMed
   1. Update: Verstovsek S, Vannucchi AM, Griesshammer M, Masszi T, Durrant S, Passamonti F, Harrison CN, Pane F, Zachee P, Kirito K, Besses C, Hino M, Moiraghi B, Miller CB, Cazzola M, Rosti V, Blau I, Mesa R, Jones MM, Zhen H, Li J, Francillard N, Habr D, Kiladjian JJ. Ruxolitinib versus best available therapy in patients with Polycythemia Vera: 80 Week follow up from the RESPONSE trial. Haematologica. 2016 Jul;101(7):821-9. Epub 2016 Apr 21. link to original article link to PMC article PubMed

Peginterferon alfa-2a monotherapy

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Regimen

Study	Evidence
Kiladjian et al. 2008 (PVN1)	Phase II
Quintás-Cardama et al. 2009	Phase II

Quintás-Cardama et al. 2009 do not provide guidance on dose escalation or target dosing. Kiladjian et al. 2008 do not provide details on the dose escalation procedure.

Immunotherapy

• Peginterferon alfa-2a (Pegasys) 90 mcg SC once per week, titrated up every two weeks in the absence of toxicity to 135 mcg SC once per week
  • In the absence of hematologic response, dose increased to 180 mcg SC once per week

Supportive medications

• Aspirin 100 mg PO once per day unless intolerant (Kiladjian et al. 2008)

Unspecified duration

References

1. Kiladjian JJ, Cassinat B, Chevret S, Turlure P, Cambier N, Roussel M, Bellucci S, Grandchamp B, Chomienne C, Fenaux P. Pegylated interferon-alfa-2a induces complete hematologic and molecular responses with low toxicity in polycythemia vera. Blood. 2008 Oct 15;112(8):3065-72. Epub 2008 Jul 23. link to original article contains verified protocol PubMed
2. Quintás-Cardama A, Kantarjian H, Manshouri T, Luthra R, Estrov Z, Pierce S, Richie MA, Borthakur G, Konopleva M, Cortes J, Verstovsek S. Pegylated interferon alfa-2a yields high rates of hematologic and molecular response in patients with advanced essential thrombocythemia and polycythemia vera. J Clin Oncol. 2009 Nov 10;27(32):5418-24. Epub 2009 Oct 13. link to original article contains protocol link to PMC article PubMed
   1. Update: Quintás-Cardama A, Abdel-Wahab O, Manshouri T, Kilpivaara O, Cortes J, Roupie AL, Zhang SJ, Harris D, Estrov Z, Kantarjian H, Levine RL, Verstovsek S. Molecular analysis of patients with polycythemia vera or essential thrombocythemia receiving pegylated interferon α-2a. Blood. 2013 Aug 8;122(6):893-901. Epub 2013 Jun 19. link to original article link to PMC article PubMed
   2. Update: Masarova L, Patel KP, Newberry KJ, Cortes J, Borthakur G, Konopleva M, Estrov Z, Kantarjian H, Verstovsek S. Pegylated interferon alfa-2a in patients with essential thrombocythaemia or polycythaemia vera: a post-hoc, median 83 month follow-up of an open-label, phase 2 trial. Lancet Haematol. 2017 Apr;4(4):e165-e175. Epub 2017 Mar 10. link to original article link to PMC article PubMed

Ruxolitinib monotherapy

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Regimen

Study	Evidence	Comparator	Efficacy
Verstovsek et al. 2014	Phase II
Vannucchi et al. 2015 (RESPONSE)	Phase III	Standard therapy	Superior disease control
Passamonti et al. 2016 (RESPONSE-2)	Phase III	Standard therapy	Superior disease control

There were several doses evaluated in Verstovsek et al. 2014; the median total daily dose was 21.7 mg corresponding to approximately 10 mg PO twice per day. The most common comparator in RESPONSE and RESPONSE-2 was hydroxyurea.

Chemotherapy

• Ruxolitinib (Jakafi) 10 mg PO twice per day

Continued until progression or excess toxicity

References

1. Verstovsek S, Passamonti F, Rambaldi A, Barosi G, Rosen PJ, Rumi E, Gattoni E, Pieri L, Guglielmelli P, Elena C, He S, Contel N, Mookerjee B, Sandor V, Cazzola M, Kantarjian HM, Barbui T, Vannucchi AM. A phase 2 study of ruxolitinib, an oral JAK1 and JAK2 Inhibitor, in patients with advanced polycythemia vera who are refractory or intolerant to hydroxyurea. Cancer. 2014 Feb 15;120(4):513-20. link to original article contains verified protocol link to PMC article PubMed content property of HemOnc.org
2. Vannucchi AM, Kiladjian JJ, Griesshammer M, Masszi T, Durrant S, Passamonti F, Harrison CN, Pane F, Zachee P, Mesa R, He S, Jones MM, Garrett W, Li J, Pirron U, Habr D, Verstovsek S. Ruxolitinib versus standard therapy for the treatment of polycythemia vera. N Engl J Med. 2015 Jan 29;372(5):426-35. link to original article contains verified protocol link to PMC article PubMed
   1. Update: Verstovsek S, Vannucchi AM, Griesshammer M, Masszi T, Durrant S, Passamonti F, Harrison CN, Pane F, Zachee P, Kirito K, Besses C, Hino M, Moiraghi B, Miller CB, Cazzola M, Rosti V, Blau I, Mesa R, Jones MM, Zhen H, Li J, Francillard N, Habr D, Kiladjian JJ. Ruxolitinib versus best available therapy in patients with Polycythemia Vera: 80 Week follow up from the RESPONSE trial. Haematologica. 2016 Jul;101(7):821-9. Epub 2016 Apr 21. link to original article link to PMC article PubMed
3. Passamonti F, Griesshammer M, Palandri F, Egyed M, Benevolo G, Devos T, Callum J, Vannucchi AM, Sivgin S, Bensasson C, Khan M, Mounedji N, Saydam G. Ruxolitinib for the treatment of inadequately controlled polycythaemia vera without splenomegaly (RESPONSE-2): a randomised, open-label, phase 3b study. Lancet Oncol. 2017 Jan;18(1):88-99. Epub 2016 Dec 2. link to original article contains protocol PubMed