Novel insights into myelofibrosis pathophysiology and treatment

Myelofibrosis (MF) is characterized by the proliferation of a myeloid-derived stem cell clone, leading to symptoms such as fatigue, fever, weight loss and bone pain. The majority of patients are diagnosed with MF after age 60; median survival ranges from 2-11 years, with the main causes of death including bone marrow failure, transformation to leukemia, thrombosis, infections and portal hypertension. Recent estimates of the incidence rates of MF in the US and Europe range from approximately 0.5-1/100,000 per year. However, given the aging population, the incidence is expected to increase in the coming years. This book reviews recent advances in our understanding of MF, covering pathogenesis, diagnosis and prognostic predictions, as well as discussing the most recent clinical data on current treatments. Particular attention is given to the selection criteria for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, which, despite being the only curative treatment for MF, only 10% of patients are eligible for.