Efficacy Study of Revlimid® and Low Dose Continuously Administered Melphalan to Treat High Risk MDS
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2012-12-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Angiogenesis increases in higher risk MDS patients and those with proliferative CMML.
Angiogenesis is associated with increased risk of leukemic transformation and poorer
prognoses. Low dose chemotherapy may have anti-angiogenic properties by targetting the
genetically stable endothelial cells. Lenalidomide has been recently shown to be highly
effective as monotherapy in low/low-intermediate risk MDS, particularly in the subgroup
harboring a 5q- deletion. Lenalidomide has not been well studied in higher risk MDS although
there are some reports of lenalidomide's efficacy in RAEB-T and AML. One potential mode of
action of lenalidomide is inhibition of angiogenesis. The investigators hypothesize that by
combining lenalidomide with low dose melphalan in higher risk MDS the investigators will more
effectively block angiogenesis and achieve responses or hematologic improvement in MDS.