The MDS Beacon™

A study in the September issue of Leukemia Research by German scientists at the Georg-August University reveals that a drug known as amifostine (Ethyol) may help in the treatment of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) patients.

Amifostine, a drug used to lessen side effects of radiation therapy, helped improve blood production and slowed down disease progression in some low- and intermediate-1-risk patients in the study. Promoting blood production in these patients is important because MDS causes the body to ineffectively produce blood cells.

Researchers conducted the Phase 2 study on 44 MDS patients between 2000 and 2005. They treated 22 patients with amifostine, while the other 22 in the control group received best supportive care. Patients were treated for 52 weeks and then observed in aftercare. Over half of the patients were unable to complete the study for various reasons including disease progression, transformation to acute myelogenous leukemia, and death.

More patients in the amifostine group showed improved blood production than patients in the control group. The overall response rate in the amifostine group was 18 percent. One patient in particular showed significant improvement, and his risk level dropped from intermediate-1 to low risk.

Improvement in blood production in the amifostine-treated patients lasted longer than the control group (93 weeks versus 59 weeks), which suggests possible benefits of amifostine therapy.

The study also examined disease progression. Results showed that 46 percent of patients treated with amifostine and 64 percent of control group patients experienced slowed progression. The difference between the treated patients and the control group is not significant but does indicate a potential benefit for some patients. Also, overall mortality was not affected by the different therapies.

Researchers observed an increase in the number of blasts, or immature blood cells, in more amifostine-treated patients than control-group patients. The scientists speculate that amifostine could induce an increase in blasts and progression to leukemia. They indicate that some past studies share their results but other studies showed a decrease in the blast count. The researchers indicate that the difference in results is likely due to the general variability of MDS cases and is not due to amifostine.

Researchers concluded that amifostine shows potential in some patients. The results were not significant enough to suggest that amifostine will improve most patients.

For more information, please see the study in the journal Leukemia Research (abstract).