From the Research
Patients with myelofibrosis on Jakafi (ruxolitinib) should be monitored every 2-4 weeks for the first 8-12 weeks of therapy, then every 3-6 months thereafter if stable, as recommended by the most recent guidelines 1. This follow-up schedule should include:
- Complete blood counts with differential
- Comprehensive metabolic panel
- Assessment of spleen size and symptom burden More frequent monitoring (every 1-2 weeks) is recommended during dose adjustments or if cytopenias develop, as ruxolitinib can cause dose-dependent cytopenias, particularly thrombocytopenia and anemia 2, 3. During each visit, clinicians should evaluate treatment efficacy by assessing:
- Spleen size reduction
- Symptom improvement
- Quality of life measures Laboratory monitoring is crucial, and liver function tests should be monitored regularly as hepatic impairment may require dose adjustments 3. Patients should also be assessed for infections, as Jakafi's JAK inhibition can increase infection risk by suppressing immune function 1. The follow-up frequency may need to be increased if disease progression is suspected or if significant adverse effects occur, and treatment should be continued as long as there is clinical benefit 1.