First-line hypomethylating agents for patients with high risk chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia

Abstract

Chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia is a rare clonal haemopoietic stem cell disorder that affects older adults, with a median age at presentation of 74 years.1 Chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia was first considered as a specific category of myeloid neoplasms in the 2008 WHO classification. The two well-recognised subtypes of the disease include myeloproliferative and myelodysplastic chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia. In 2015 the International Working Group developed separate disease response criteria for chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia, other myelodysplastic syndromes, myeloproliferative neoplasms, and syndromes that overlap between myelodysplastic and myeloproliferative disorders.