Dr Srdan Verstovsek talks about results from the COMFORT (COntrolled MyeloFibrosis study with ORal JAK inhibitor Treatment) Phase III trial looking at the JAK1 and JAK2 inhibitor, ruxolitinib, in patients with myelofibrosis. Myelofibrosis is a potentially life-threatening blood cancer characterised by enlarged spleen and liver, bone marrow failure and debilitating symptoms. Currently, there are limited treatment options and no FDA-approved medicines for myelofibrosis; the only potential cure is allogeneic stem cell transplant, for which only a very small proportion of patients qualify. The data presented at the 2011 EHA meeting demonstrated that treatment with ruxolitinib significantly reduced spleen volume, led to improvements in total symptom score and quality of life while placebo-treated patients experienced progressive enlarged spleen and worsening of symptoms.