Del(5q) and Lenalidomid

The vast majority of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) become transfusion dependent, and the immediate beneficial effect of packed red cell transfusions comes with the threat of additional organ damage through iron overload. Reducing transfusion needs improves therefore quality of life, delays iron overload, and, perhaps, prolongs survival. In IPSS Low- and Intermediate-1 risk patients with a del(5q) deletion, lenalidomide has shown an impressive rate of erythroid response with doses of 10mg/day or less. Over 60% of patients become transfusion independent and about 10% reduce their transfusion rate b…