Health-related quality of life and symptom profile of patients with BCR::ABL1-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms: Real-world evidence from the GIMEMA-PROPHECY observational study

: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) may be impaired across several domains. In this multicenter observational study, we evaluated HRQoL and symptoms in a cohort of MPN patients with validated measures, including the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30), the Myeloproliferative Neoplasm Symptom Assessment Form Total Symptom Score (MPN-SAF TSS), and the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue Scale (FACIT-Fatigue) questionnaire. The primary objective was to compare the HRQoL profile of patients, by disease subtype, with that of the general population according to the EORTC QLQ-C30. A total of 572 patients with essential thrombocythemia (ET, n = 228), polycythemia vera (PV, n = 207), and myelofibrosis (MF, n = 137) were assessed. Worse statistically and clinically significant differences were observed for role functioning (ET: ∆ = 8.9, P < 0.001; PV: ∆ = 11, P < 0.001; MF: ∆ = 16.7, P < 0.001) and fatigue (ET: ∆ = 5, P < 0.001; PV: ∆ = 8.3, P < 0.001; MF: ∆ = 11.5, P < 0.001) in all three diagnostic groups. However, patients with MF also reported impairments in other important health domains. Fatigue was the most frequently reported and burdensome symptom, with greater severity correlating with a broader and more complex array of associated symptoms. Our analysis also revealed a substantial underestimation of symptoms by treating hematologists in paired physician-patient reports. Current findings may help to disentangle specific HRQoL limitations and symptomatology experienced by patients with MPNs, and underscore the importance of incorporating patient-reported outcomes into routine practice to better reflect the patient's perspective of the disease and treatment-related burden.