The Efficacy of Azacitidine +/- Lenalidomide in High-risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)and Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) With Del(5q).

This is an prospective open multi-center randomized phase II study of standard dose azacytidine with or without the addition of lenalidomide in high-risk myeloid disease (high-risk MDS and AML) with a karyotype including del(5q). Seventy-two patients, eligible for treatment with azacytidine (Intermedium/INT-2 and High-risk MDS and AML with 20-30 % marrow blasts according to label) will be included. Azacytidine will be given in a modified standard dose, azacytidine 5+2 (75 mg/m2/ d subcutaneously for 5 days, followed by a 2-day weekend break, followed by azacytidine 75 mg/m2/ d for 2 days every 28 days, no individual dose exceeding 200 mg) for 6 cycles. Cycle interval may be prolonged if toxicity according to predefined criteria occurs. Patients will be randomized to azacytidine (Arm A) or azacytidine + lenalidomide (Arm B). The initial dose of lenalidomide is 10 mg 21/28 days, starting day 1 in each azacytidine cycle and leaving the last week before start of next azacytidine cycle free. The dose should be increased to 20 mg day 1 in cycle 4 if no toxicity according to predefined criteria occurs. The total study period is 24 weeks + additional weeks caused by prolonged cycle interval. Patients, who following a response may be eligible for allo-SCT may exit the study after cycle 3, 4 or 5 and then be subject to end-of-study assessment. Patients who at start of treatment, or any time during study have a neutrophil count \<0,5 x 109/l will be treated with Granulocyte-ColonyStimulatingFactor (G-CSF).