The symptoms, causes, and treatments depend on the throw in and severity of the disorder.

This article will help you understand your risks and what to expect if you have a myeloproliferative disorder.

Myeloproliferative Disorder Symptoms

Often, myeloproliferative disorders cause generalized weakness and persistent tiredness.

Types of Myeloproliferative Disorders - Illustration by Jessica Olah

Verywell / Jessica Olah

These differentiate (specialize) into certain cell types as they mature.

These conditions are associated with noninheritable genetic abnormalities that affect blood cell production.

The genetic changes may occur due to environmental influences, but they generally have no specific identifiable cause.

Myeloproliferative disorders can also develop without the presence of any specific genetic abnormality.

Secondary polycythemia differs from polycythemia vera.

These conditions may also be diagnosed during a symptom evaluation.

With polycythemia vera, a CBC would show an increasedhematocrit, which is a measure of red blood cells.

Myelofibrosis may be diagnosed with a bone marrow biopsy.

Chemotherapy can prevent excess cell production, and the medications are sometimes used to treat myeloproliferative disorders.

Jakafi (ruxolitinib), a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is used to treat polycythemia vera and myelofibrosis.

Myelofibrosis and chronic myeloid leukemia are sometimes treated with a bone marrow transplant.

Coping

If you have a myeloproliferative disorder, you may need lifelong medical care.

This can involve surveillance of your symptoms, diagnostic tests, and possibly treatment.

You may need to be cautious about protecting yourself from infections and injuries.

These conditions can be slowly progressive, and they may sometimes increase your risk of cancer.

If you need treatment for your myeloproliferative disorder, you might also have side effects of chemotherapy.

These side effects should resolve after your treatment course is complete.

Summary

Myeloproliferative disorders cause excess production of red or white blood cells or platelets.

They are chronic and slowly get worse over time.

The different types of myeloproliferative disorders depend on which cells are overproduced.

A bone marrow biopsy is usually needed to diagnose these conditions.

Treatment varies depending on the bang out of disorder, and may include chemotherapy.

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