« Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are a group of blood cancers that are maintained by stem cell populations. In this issue of JEM, Dagher et al. (doi.org/10.1084/jem.20201268) combine arsenic and interferon α to deliver a knockout punch to MPN stem cells and provide new hope to cure patients with MPNs. »
« Additionally, after IFNα+ATO treatment was withdrawn, primary mice were monitored for the reemergence of disease. In >50% of the IFNα+ATO combination–treated mice, the MPN did not recur after treatment was stopped, demonstrating long-term treatment-free remission and potentially a cure of the MPN. »
Nearly 500 years ago, Swiss physician and chemist Paracelsus expressed the basic principle of toxicology: “All things are poison and nothing is without poison; only the dose makes a thing not a poison.” This is often condensed to: “The dose makes the poison.” It means that a substance that contains toxic properties can cause harm only if it occurs in a high enough concentration. »
There will be trials very soon. The drug works already very well with some subtypes of myeloid leukemia ( daily IV injections for 100 days) and an oral form of ATO is being developed for MPNs. The oral drug is apparently much less cardiotoxic and liver toxic than the injectable one.
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ASH 2020 | Impact of COVID-19 on MPNs patients
