Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Original Article
  • Published:

Chronic Myeloproliferative Neoplasias

The number of prognostically detrimental mutations and prognosis in primary myelofibrosis: an international study of 797 patients

Abstract

We recently defined a high-molecular risk category (HMR) in primary myelofibrosis (PMF), based on the presence of at least one of the five ‘prognostically detrimental’ mutated genes (ASXL1, EZH2, SRSF2 and IDH1/2). Herein, we evaluate the additional prognostic value of the ‘number’ of mutated genes. A total of 797 patients were recruited from Europe (n=537) and the Mayo Clinic (n=260). In the European cohort, 167 (31%) patients were HMR: 127 (23.6%) had one and 40 (7.4%) had two or more mutated genes. The presence of two or more mutations predicted the worst survival: median 2.6 years (hazard ratio (HR) 3.8, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.6–5.7) vs 7.0 years (HR 1.9, 95% CI 1.4–2.6) for one mutation vs 12.3 years for no mutations. The results were validated in the Mayo cohort and prognostic significance in both cohorts was independent of International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS; HR 2.4, 95% CI 1.6–3.6) and dynamic IPSS (DIPSS)-plus (HR 1.9, 95% CI 1.2–3.1), respectively. Two or more mutations were also associated with shortened leukemia-free survival (HR 6.2, 95% CI 3.5–10.7), also Mayo validated. Calreticulin mutations favorably affected survival, independently of both number of mutations and IPSS/DIPSS-plus. We conclude that the ‘number’ of prognostically detrimental mutations provides added value in the combined molecular and clinical prognostication of PMF.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Vannucchi AM, Guglielmelli P, Tefferi A . Advances in understanding and management of myeloproliferative neoplasms. CA Cancer J Clin 2009; 59: 171–191.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Cervantes F, Dupriez B, Passamonti F, Vannucchi AM, Morra E, Reilly JT et al. Improving survival trends in primary myelofibrosis: an International Study. J Clin Oncol 2012; 30: 2981–2987.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Cervantes F, Dupriez B, Pereira A, Passamonti F, Reilly JT, Morra E et al. New prognostic scoring system for primary myelofibrosis based on a study of the International Working Group for myelofibrosis research and treatment. Blood 2009; 113: 2895–2901.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Passamonti F, Cervantes F, Vannucchi AM, Morra E, Rumi E, Pereira A et al. A dynamic prognostic model to predict survival in primary myelofibrosis: a study by the IWG-MRT (International Working Group for Myeloproliferative Neoplasms Research and Treatment). Blood 2010; 115: 1703–1708.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Gangat N, Caramazza D, Vaidya R, George G, Begna K, Schwager S et al. DIPSS Plus: a refined dynamic international prognostic scoring system for primary myelofibrosis that incorporates prognostic information from karyotype, platelet count, and transfusion status. J Clin Oncol 2011; 29: 392–397.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Vannucchi AM, Lasho TL, Guglielmelli P, Biamonte F, Pardanani A, Pereira A et al. Mutations and prognosis in primary myelofibrosis. Leukemia 2013; 27: 1861–1869.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Guglielmelli P, Biamonte F, Rotunno G, Artusi V, Artuso L, Bernardis I et al. Impact of mutational status on outcomes in myelofibrosis patients treated with ruxolitinib in the COMFORT-II Study. Blood 2014; e-pub ahead of print 23 January 2014 doi:10.1182/blood-2013-11-536557.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Guglielmelli P, Nangalia J, Green AR, Vannucchi AM . CALR mutations in myeloproliferative neoplasms: Hidden behind the reticulum. Am J Hematol 2014; e-pub ahead of print 24 January 2014 doi:10.1002/ajh.23678.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Nangalia J, Massie CE, Baxter EJ, Nice FL, Gundem G, Wedge DC et al. Somatic CALR mutations in myeloproliferative neoplasms with nonmutated JAK2. N Engl J Med 2013; 369: 2391–2405.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Klampfl T, Gisslinger H, Harutyunyan AS, Nivarthi H, Rumi E, Milosevic JD et al. Somatic mutations of calreticulin in myeloproliferative neoplasms. N Engl J Med 2013; 369: 2379–2390.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Rotunno G, Mannarelli C, Guglielmelli P, Pacilli A, Pancrazzi A, Pieri L et al. Impact of calreticulin mutations on clinical and hematological phenotype and outcome in essential thrombocythemia. Blood 2013; e-pub ahead of print 26 December 2013 doi:10.1182/blood-2013-11-538983.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Rumi E, Pietra D, Ferretti V, Klampfl T, Harutyunyan AS, Milosevic JD et al. JAK2 or CALR mutation status defines subtypes of essential thrombocythemia with substantially different clinical course and outcomes. Blood 2013; e-pub ahead of print 23 December 2013 doi:10.1182/blood-2013-11-539098.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Tefferi A, Lasho TL, Finke CM, Knudson RA, Ketterling R, Hanson CH et al. CALR vs JAK2 vs MPL mutated or triple-negative myelofibrosis: clinical, cytogenetic and molecular comparisons. Leukemia 2014; e-pub ahead of print 9 January 2014 doi:10.1038/leu.2014.3.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Tefferi A, Guglielmelli P, Lasho TL, Rotunno G, Finke C, Mannarelli C et al. CALR and ASXL1 mutations-based molecular prognostication in primary myelofibrosis: an international study of 570 patients. Leukemia 2014; e-pub ahead of print 5 February 2014 doi:10.1038/leu.2014.57.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Vardiman JW, Thiele J, Arber DA, Brunning RD, Borowitz MJ, Porwit A et al. The 2008 revision of the World Health Organization (WHO) classification of myeloid neoplasms and acute leukemia: rationale and important changes. Blood 2009; 114: 937–951.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Gangat N, Caramazza D, Vaidya R, George G, Begna K, Schwager S et al. DIPSS plus: a refined Dynamic International Prognostic Scoring System for primary myelofibrosis that incorporates prognostic information from karyotype, platelet count, and transfusion status. J Clin Oncol 2011; 29: 392–397.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Caramazza D, Begna KH, Gangat N, Vaidya R, Siragusa S, Van Dyke DL et al. Refined cytogenetic-risk categorization for overall and leukemia-free survival in primary myelofibrosis: a single center study of 433 patients. Leukemia 2011; 25: 82–88.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Passamonti F, Cervantes F, Vannucchi AM, Morra E, Rumi E, Cazzola M et al. Dynamic International Prognostic Scoring System (DIPSS) predicts progression to acute myeloid leukemia in primary myelofibrosis. Blood 2010; 116: 2857–2858.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Tefferi A, Pardanani A, Gangat N, Begna KH, Hanson CA, Van Dyke DL et al. Leukemia risk models in primary myelofibrosis: an International Working Group study. Leukemia 2012; 26: 1439–1441.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Lundberg P, Karow A, Nienhold R, Looser R, Hao-Shen H, Nissen I et al. Clonal evolution and clinical correlates of somatic mutations in myeloproliferative neoplasms. Blood 2014; e-pub ahead of print 29 January 2014 doi:10.1182/blood-2013-11-537167.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Papaemmanuil E, Gerstung M, Malcovati L, Tauro S, Gundem G, Van Loo P et al. Clinical and biological implications of driver mutations in myelodysplastic syndromes. Blood 2013; 122: 3616–3627.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by a special grant from Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro-‘AIRC 5 per Mille’- to AGIMM, ‘AIRC-Gruppo Italiano Malattie Mieloproliferative’ (#1005); for a description of the AGIMM project, see at http://www.progettoagimm.it/). The study was partially supported by Ministero della Università e Ricerca (MIUR; FIRB project #RBAP11CZLK and PRIN 2010NYKNS7 to AMV). It was also supported by the Bando ricerca finalizzata e giovani ricercatori, Ministero della Salute GR-2011-02352109 to PG. JS and NCPC were supported by Leukemia and Lymphoma Research. Studies at the Mayo Clinic were supported by the Mayo Clinic Brian and Phyllis Harvey and Janet Yulman Charitable Foundation for Myelofibrosis Tissue Bank and Clinical Database of Molecular and Biological Abnormalities.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to A M Vannucchi or A Tefferi.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Guglielmelli, P., Lasho, T., Rotunno, G. et al. The number of prognostically detrimental mutations and prognosis in primary myelofibrosis: an international study of 797 patients. Leukemia 28, 1804–1810 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/leu.2014.76

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/leu.2014.76

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links