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Hydroxyurea is administered to control elevated blood counts in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) to reduce the risk of thrombosis and mortality. We reviewed the side effects of hydroxyurea, development of secondary malignancies, and drug resistance observed in some patients.Current Concepts: The low incidences of malformed births, intrauterine deaths, and spontaneous abortions associated with hydroxyurea therapy suggest that adverse pregnancy and fetal effects are unlikely. However, animal studies have reported malformations; therefore, the use of hydroxyurea during pregnancy is not recommended. Low-grade adverse events associated with hydroxyurea therapy include gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, upper gastrointestinal discomfort, and diarrhea. These symptoms are usually resolved by dose adjustment or temporary discontinuation. Approximately 10% of patients with MPNs are resistant to hydroxyurea, and another 10% are unable to tolerate it owing to side effects. Drug intolerance and resistance are the most common causes of inadequate cytoreductive control in patients with MPNs. Second-line cytoreductive agents should be considered to overcome the high risk of thrombosis and poor survival. The evolution to secondary hematologic cancers is related to the duration of the disease, not hydroxyurea administration.Discussion and Conclusion: In pregnant patients accidentally exposed to hydroxyurea, the risk should be discussed with the patient to determine whether to continue the pregnancy. Hydroxyurea administration increases the risk of skin cancer but does not affect the incidence of other secondary hematologic or solid cancers. Ropeginterferon or Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors, including ruxolitinib, are recommended as alternative treatments if the patient is intolerant or resistant to hydroxyurea, as this is associated with poorer survival.
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Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are clonal disorders of hematopoietic stem cells. The malignant clones produce cytokines that drive self-perpetuating inflammatory responses and tend to transform into more aggressive clones, leading to disease progression. The progression of MPNs follows a biological sequence from the early phases of malignancy, polycythemia vera, and essential thrombocythemia, to advanced myelofibrosis and leukemic transformation. To date, the treatment of MPNs has focused on preventing thrombosis by decreasing blood cell counts and relieving disease-related symptoms. However, interferon (IFN) has been used to treat MPNs because of its ability to attack cancer cells directly and modulate the immune system. IFN also has the potential to modulate diseases by inhibiting JAK2 mutations, and recent studies have demonstrated clinical and molecular improvements. Long-acting IFN is administered less frequently and has fewer adverse effects than conventional IFN. The current state of research on long-acting IFN in patients with MPNs is discussed, along with future directions.
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Purpose@#Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been shown significant oncological improvements in several cancers.However, ICIs are still in their infancy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), tumorinfiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) have been known as prognostic factors in HCC. Therefore, we have focused on identifying the molecular mechanisms between each marker to evaluate a predictive role. @*Methods@#Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples were obtained from 166 patients with HCC who underwent surgery. The expression of PD-L1 and TILs and EMT marker were evaluated by immunohistochemical analysis. @*Results@#The multivariate analysis showed that TIL expression (hazard ratio [HR], 0.483; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.269–0.866; P = 0.015) were independent prognostic factors for overall survival. The prognostic factors for disease-free survival were EMT marker expression (HR, 1.565; 95% CI, 1.019–2.403; P = 0.005). Patients with high expression of TILs had significantly better survival compared to patients with low expression (P = 0.023). Patients who were TIL+/EMT– showed a significantly better prognosis than those who were TIL–/EMT+ (P = 0.049). @*Conclusion@#This study demonstrates that PD-L1 expression of TILs is closely associated with EMT marker expression in HCC. Clinical investigations using anti–PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in patients with EMT-associated PD-L1 upregulation are warranted.
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Purpose@#We investigated the prognostic value of maximum tumor dissemination (Dmax), the distance between malignant lesions that were farthest apart, as assessed by fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG PET/CT), and other clinical factors in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).We investigated the prognostic value of maximum tumor dissemination (Dmax), the distance between malignant lesions that were farthest apart, as assessed by fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG PET/CT), and other clinical factors in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). @*Methods@#Patients who underwent FDG PET/CT for initial staging and treatment response evaluation of DLBCL were reviewed retrospectively. Baseline Dmax, maximum standardized uptake value, total summation of all metabolic tumor volumes (tMTV), and total summation of all total lesion glycolysis (tTLG) were measured. The treatment response was evaluated at the interim and end of first-line treatment (EOT) using the Deauville score (DS). FDG PET/CT parameters and other clinical factors including sex, age, serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level, stage, performance status, and the International Prognostic Index (IPI) were analyzed to identify factors prognostic of the time to progression (TTP) and disease-specific survival (DSS). @*Results@#A total of 63 patients were included. Univariate survival analysis identified Dmax (> 275 mm), tMTV (> 180 mL), tTLG (> 1300), interim DS (≥ 4), and EOT DS (≥ 4) as significant predictors of poor TTP. Serum LDH level (> 640 IU/L), IPI (≥ 4), tMTV (> 180 mL), tTLG (> 1300), interim DS (≥ 4), and EOT DS (≥ 4) were significant predictors of DSS. After multivariate survival analysis, Dmax (P = 0.008) and EOT DS (P = 0.005) were independent predictors of TTP. EOT DS was an independent predictor of DSS (P = 0.029). @*Conclusions@#Dmax at the time of diagnosis and the EOT response assessed by FDG PET/CT provide useful prognostic information additive to the IPI in patients with DLBCL.
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When oral restoration is performed with a full mouth implant-supported fixed restoration in an edentulous patient, it is very important to determine the shape and position of the definitive prosthesis in consideration of the anatomical state and the relationship with the antagonist, and the process of placing multiple implants in the planned direction and angle is very important. In this case, implants were ideally planned based on an upper prosthesis through a computer-guided surgical procedure for an edentulous maxillary patient who visited due to discomfort in the existing denture. Through this, we would like to report this because we obtained satisfactory functional and esthetic results for both the patient and the operator with the treatment of oral restoration by manufacturing a fixed prosthesis for maxillary and full jaw implants.
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The tongue is one of the most common sites of oral cancer. Glossectomy is known as the gold standard for tongue cancer treatment. However, surgical removal can lead to reduced mobility of the tongue and the patients may have difficulty performing normal oral functions like swallowing and pronunciation. Therefore, additional prosthetic consideration to supplement the function of the impaired tongue is needed for oral rehabilitation of such patients. Palatal augmentation prosthesis helps the tongue to reach the palate by lowering the position of the palatal polished surface. The oral functions of the patients with limited tongue mobility can be improved by the prosthesis. In this case, palatal augmented maxillary denture and conventional mandibular denture were fabricated for the completely edentulous patient with reduced tongue mobility after glossectomy due to tongue cancer. As a result, the oral functions of the patient were improved with the prosthesis.
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Purpose@#This study aimed to determine the correlation between various clinical results, including recurrence in patients with breast cancer, and preoperative blood composition ratio and postoperative pathological results. @*Methods@#A total of 444 patients who underwent surgery were included, and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), and postoperative pathological results were classified into postoperative cancer stages to confirm the association with various clinical results, including recurrence. @*Results@#The median age of the patients was 51 years. The stages were divided into 1, 2, 3, and 4. Additionally, stages 1 and 2 comprised one group and stages 3 and 4 comprised another group. The cut-off values of the NLR, PLR, and MLR were confirmed to be 1.43, 158.84, and 0.21, respectively. It was noted that the association with recurrence was higher in the group with hormone receptor negative (p<0.001), higher stage (p<0.001), and underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy (p<0.001). In the association with blood composition ratio and recurrence, survival was high in the PLR group with a high cut-off value (p=0.004). There was no significant relationship in the NLR and MLR groups. In the disease-free survival and overall-survival curves, only the PLR group showed a significant association of 0.003 and 0.001, respectively. The NLR and MLR groups did not show any significant result. @*Conclusion@#No significant association with recurrence and mortality was confirmed in the NLR and MLR groups. However, the preoperative blood test in the high PLR group showed recurrence and mortality rate were high.
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Purpose@#As breast-conserving surgery has become a standard treatment for patients with breast cancer, several approaches have been devised to achieve desirable cosmetic results, including a method using a patient’s own tissues or organs or a mesh to resolve defects. However, its application has been limited due to the associated complications. Accordingly, breast reconstruction using an acellular dermal matrix (ADM) has been introduced to improve patients’ cosmetic satisfaction. However, the comparison of reconstruction and primary sutures using this method has not been well-studied. Therefore, this study surveyed patients who underwent breast cancer surgery based on cosmetic indicators to study the efficacy of ADM after breast-conserving surgery. @*Methods@#This retrospective study included 68 patients diagnosed with breast cancer who underwent breast-conserving surgery at a single institution by a single surgeon from April 2019 to December 2020. @*Results@#This study included 68 patients who underwent breast-conserving surgery. Among them, 22 patients underwent breast-conserving surgery using ADM, while 46 patients received only primary sutures without ADM. Among the items of the Breast Cancer Treatment Outcome Scale-12 (BCTOS-12), patient satisfaction was significantly higher in the group using ADM, than that in the control group in terms of breast shape (1.86±0.89 vs. 2.39±0.80, p=0.017). Regarding breast tenderness, the result also confirmed the group treated using ADM experienced less tenderness than the control group not treated with ADM (1.68±0.78 vs. 2.22±1.03, p=0.035). The two groups exhibited no significant differences in breast texture, arm heaviness, nipple appearance, shoulder discomfort, arm discomfort, scar tissue, arm swelling, breast swelling, fit of the bra, and breast sensitivity. @*Conclusion@#Breast reconstruction using ADM in patients with breast cancer was effective from a cosmetic perspective. Prospective multicenter studies should be conducted to provide clear guidelines.
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Background/Aims@#Veno-occlusive disease/sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (VOD/SOS) is one of the most fatal complications of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), and defibrotide is the only curative drug. We conducted this study to confirm the survival rate of VOD/SOS patients diagnosed in Korea and assess the efficacy of defibrotide. @*Methods@#Patients diagnosed with VOD/SOS after allogenic HCT between 2003 and 2020 were enrolled. We investigated day +100 survival rates and associated risk factors in patients who satisfied the modified Seattle criteria within 50 days of HCT. @*Results@#A total of 110 patients satisfied the modified Seattle criteria, of which 65.5% satisfied the Baltimore criteria. Thirty-seven patients were treated with defibrotide. The day +100 survival rate of the 110 patients was 65.3%. The survival rates in patients who did not meet the Baltimore criteria and in those who did were 86.8% and 53.7%, respectively (p = 0.001). The day +100 survival rate of patients treated with defibrotide was 50.5%. Among the patients receiving defibrotide, those whose creatinine levels were more than 1.2 times the baseline had a significantly lower survival rate at 26.7% (p = 0.014). On multivariate regression analysis, the hazard ratio of satisfaction of the Baltimore criteria was 4.54 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.69 to 12.21; p = 0.003). In patients treated with defibrotide, the hazard ratio was 8.70 (95% CI, 2.26 to 33.45; p = 0.002), when creatinine was more than 1.2 times the baseline on administration. @*Conclusions@#The day +100 survival rate was significantly lower when the Baltimore criteria were satisfied, and when there was an increase in creatinine at the time of defibrotide administration.
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Multiple tooth loss can cause disharmonious occlusial plane, loss of vertical dimension and deflection of mandibular movement. Therefore, restoring proper vertical dimension and occlusion in the centric relation is an important treatment goal. Implant-assisted removable partial denture is a recently used clinical technique, because it increases patient satisfaction by improving retention, support, and stability of conventional denture. The objective of this article is to present a case report describing the fabrication of treatment denture and implant assisted removable partial denture using previously placed implants for a patient with partial loss of posterior support and anterior stop.
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Appendiceal mucocele is a rare mucin-producing neoplasm of appendiceal origin. Due to its location and imaging findings, appendiceal mucocele is easily confused with tumors of the right adnexa. We present a rare case of a patient initially misdiagnosed with an ovarian tumor intraoperatively diagnosed as an appendiceal mucocele and successfully treated. A 66-year-old postmenopausal woman was admitted to the gynecology department for an asymptomatic pelvic mass. Preoperative pelvic imaging showed an 8-cm cystic mass. Exploratory laparoscopy for the suspected epithelial borderline tumor from the right ovary revealed a cystic mass in the right pelvic area and normal uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. Intraoperative consultation with the general surgery department confirmed the appendiceal origin. Laparoscopic appendectomy was performed. Histopathological examination confirmed a low-grade mucinous neoplasm of appendiceal origin. The patient was discharged on a postoperative day 5 without complications. The outpatient follow-up performed 1 month later showed no evidence of disease progression. Despite the use of advanced diagnostic tools, appendiceal mucocele may be confused for ovarian malignancies. Because the clinical features of appendiceal mucocele are nonspecific, clinicians and radiologists know the specific imaging findings. A multidisciplinary approach including general surgery, gynecology, and radiology is required for preoperative diagnosis and treatment.
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Purpose@#Malnutrition is the main complication after gastrectomy and the degree may vary depending on the extent of resection. This study sought to help determine an appropriate type of resection and provide methods for addressing malnutrition after gastrectomy. @*Materials and Methods@#We retrospectively reviewed medical records of patients with gastric cancer who underwent radical resection at the Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital between December 2012 and December 2013.A total of 100 patients were screened, and all patients were followed for 1 to 3 years. Among this group, 12 underwent total gastrectomy, 5 underwent proximal gastrectomy, 46 underwent distal gastrectomy with Billroth I anastomosis, and 37 with Billroth II anastomosis. The nutritional status assessment included body weight, body mass index, serum albumin, serum hemoglobin, vitamin B12, ferritin, and Nutritional Risk Index (NRI). @*Results@#Patients who underwent total gastrectomy had lower hemoglobin and vitamin B12 levels compared to patients who underwent distal gastrectomy. The NRI was statistically significantly lower in patients who underwent total gastrectomy than patients who underwent distal gastrectomy. Patients who underwent total gastrectomy had lower vitamin B12 than patients who underwent proximal gastrectomy till the second year after gastrectomy. Regarding postdistal gastrectomy reconstruction, there was no statistically significant difference between the Billroth I and Billroth II groups. @*Conclusion@#This study showed that patients who underwent total gastrectomy were more susceptible to malnutrition than those who underwent distal or proximal gastrectomy. Patients who undergo gastrectomy should be monitored carefully for nutritional status and given appropriate nutritional support in the post-operative period.
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Purpose@#In this trial, we investigated the efficacy and safety of adjuvant letrozole for hormone receptor (HR)-positive breast cancer. Here, we report the clinical outcome in postmenopausal women with HR-positive breast cancer treated with adjuvant letrozole according to estrogen receptor (ER) expression levels. @*Methods@#In this multi-institutional, open-label, observational study, postmenopausal patients with HR-positive breast cancer received adjuvant letrozole (2.5 mg/daily) for 5 years unless they experienced disease progression or unacceptable toxicity or withdrew their consent. The patients were stratified into the following 3 groups according to ER expression levels using a modified Allred score (AS): low, intermediate, and high (AS 3–4, 5–6, and 7–8, respectively). ER expression was centrally reviewed. The primary objective was the 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate. @*Results@#Between April 25, 2010, and February 5, 2014, 440 patients were enrolled. With a median follow-up of 62.0 months, the 5-year DFS rate in all patients was 94.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 91.8–96.6). The 5-year DFS and recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates did not differ according to ER expression; the 5-year DFS rates were 94.3% and 94.1%in the low-to-intermediate and high expression groups, respectively (p = 0.6), and the corresponding 5-year RFS rates were 95.7% and 95.4%, respectively (p = 0.7). Furthermore, 25 patients discontinued letrozole because of drug toxicity. @*Conclusion@#Treatment with adjuvant letrozole showed very favorable treatment outcomes and good tolerability among Korean postmenopausal women with ER-positive breast cancer, independent of ER expression.
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Purpose@#In this trial, we investigated the efficacy and safety of adjuvant letrozole for hormone receptor (HR)-positive breast cancer. Here, we report the clinical outcome in postmenopausal women with HR-positive breast cancer treated with adjuvant letrozole according to estrogen receptor (ER) expression levels. @*Methods@#In this multi-institutional, open-label, observational study, postmenopausal patients with HR-positive breast cancer received adjuvant letrozole (2.5 mg/daily) for 5 years unless they experienced disease progression or unacceptable toxicity or withdrew their consent. The patients were stratified into the following 3 groups according to ER expression levels using a modified Allred score (AS): low, intermediate, and high (AS 3–4, 5–6, and 7–8, respectively). ER expression was centrally reviewed. The primary objective was the 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate. @*Results@#Between April 25, 2010, and February 5, 2014, 440 patients were enrolled. With a median follow-up of 62.0 months, the 5-year DFS rate in all patients was 94.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 91.8–96.6). The 5-year DFS and recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates did not differ according to ER expression; the 5-year DFS rates were 94.3% and 94.1%in the low-to-intermediate and high expression groups, respectively (p = 0.6), and the corresponding 5-year RFS rates were 95.7% and 95.4%, respectively (p = 0.7). Furthermore, 25 patients discontinued letrozole because of drug toxicity. @*Conclusion@#Treatment with adjuvant letrozole showed very favorable treatment outcomes and good tolerability among Korean postmenopausal women with ER-positive breast cancer, independent of ER expression.
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Background/Aims@#Compared with Western countries, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) rarely occurs in Asia and has different clinical characteristics. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics, treatment outcomes, and prognostic significance of Korean patients with CLL. @*Methods@#We retrospectively analyzed 90 patients with CLL who had received chemotherapy at 6 centers in Korea between 2000 and 2012. @*Results@#Compared with Western patients with CLL, Korean patients with CLL express lambda (42.0%) and atypical markers such as CD22 and FMC7 (76.7% and 40.0%, respectively) more frequently. First-line chemotherapy regimens included chlorambucil (n = 43), fludarabine and cyclophosphamide (FC) (n = 20), fludarabine (n = 13), rituximab-FC (n = 4). The remaining patients were treated with other various regimens (n = 10). The 5-year overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) rates were 79.3% and 28.1%, respectively. Multivariate analyses showed that hyperleukocytosis (≥ 100 × 103/μL), extranodal involvement, and the Binet C stage were significant negative prognostic factors for OS (hazard ratio [HR] 4.75, p = 0.039; HR 21.6, p = 0.002; and HR 4.35, p = 0.034, respectively). Cytogenetic abnormalities including complex karyotypes (≥ 3), del(11q), and del(17) had a significantly adverse impact on both OS and PFS (p < 0.001 and p = 0.010, respectively). @*Conclusions@#Initial hyperleukocytosis, extranodal involvement, complex karyotype, del(17) and del(11q) need to be considered in the risk stratification system for CLL.
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In 2016, the World Health Organization revised the diagnostic criteria for myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) based on the discovery of disease-driving genetic aberrations and extensive analysis of the clinical characteristics of patients with MPNs. Recent studies have suggested that additional somatic mutations have a clinical impact on the prognosis of patients harboring these genetic abnormalities. Treatment strategies have also advanced with the introduction of JAK inhibitors, one of which has been approved for the treatment of patients with myelofibrosis and those with hydroxyurea-resistant or intolerant polycythemia vera. Recently developed drugs aim to elicit hematologic responses, as well as symptomatic and molecular responses, and the response criteria were refined accordingly. Based on these changes, we have revised the guidelines and present the diagnosis, treatment, and risk stratification of MPNs encountered in Korea.
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Excessive pathological attrition over the entire dentition can cause decreased masticatory function, and pathological problems of the temporomandibular joint and the muscular nervous system. In this case, 71 year-old male patient with severe attrition and fracture across the entire tooth was treated by full mouth rehabilitation for regaining space of restoration. In order to determine the appropriate vertical dimension of the patient’s occlusion, facial appearance, aesthetics, restoration space were evaluated, and provisional restoration of the raised vertical dimension was made. After 4 months of evaluation, the entire restoration of monolithic zirconia crown using CAD-CAM was completed. Through the above process, satisfactory aesthetic and functional results were obtained.
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The prosthesis of the implant installed in inappropriate positions presents aesthetic and functional problems. If the implants are placed in the wrong position, re-implantation is often limited. There are surgical and non-surgical methods for resolving complications without re-implantation. The surgical costs, healing time, discomfort and unpredictability make this choice unpopular. On the other hand, a gingival mask has the advantage of solving complications quickly and simply. The patient was a 80-year-old male with palatally installed implant in maxillary anterior region and dissatisfied with his unesthetic philtrum and food impaction between the upper lip and the prosthesis. It was difficult to predict the prognosis of surgical operation, and the patient wanted treatment economically and physically burdenless because of his age and financial situation. Thus, the gingival mask was planned and the results were satisfactory.
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Gradual tooth wear is a natural process of aging, but pathological wear over physiologic ranges leads to functional and esthetic problems. The loss of posterior support maycause pathological wear of anterior teeth, which results in reduction of vertical dimension and disharmony of occlusal plane. To solve this problem, determination of propervertical dimension considering centric relation is necessary. This case report presented 71-year-old male, who had the severe wear of lower anterior teeth due to loss of posteriorsupport. By meticulous evaluation, a full mouth rehabilitation with elevation of vertical dimension was planned. After 8 months of follow-up, stable occlusal scheme ismaintained and patient was satisfied with clinical outcome functionally and esthetically. (J Korean Acad Prosthodont 2020;58:153-60)
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Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a disease affecting clinically and cytogenetically diverse groups of patients. Consequently, MDS patients differ in their response to the individual agents used to treat their disease. Lenalidomide, which has been covered by the national health insurance system of Korea since 2019, is used to relieve transfusion-dependent anemia and has been shown to achieve a genetic response in MDS patients, especially those carrying the del(5q) mutation. Although the mechanism of action of lenalidomide is not yet clear, it may block malignant cell proliferation directly by inhibiting haplodeficient phosphatase, but also act indirectly by killing malignant cells through an immunomodulatory effect. In clinical studies, low-risk patients with the del(5q) mutation who were treated with lenalidomide had a hematologic response rate of 55–60% and a median survival of 2–2.5 years. The genetic response rate was 50–73%, and the complete genetic response rate 30–45%. However, in high-risk patients, the response rate was low (20–30%). These results demonstrate the potential utility of lenalidomide as a first-line drug for transfusion-dependent, del(5q), low-risk patients in Korea.