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Polycythemia Vera or Essential Thrombocythemia ?
Blood Cancers & Disorders | Last Active: Jun 3 12:02pm | Replies (48)Comment receiving replies
Can someone please tell me the difference between PV & ET? Different symptoms? Can one turn into the other?
I was diagnosed with ET about 6 months ago since my platelet count was high & I have the JAK2 mutation. Never had a biopsy. HU (500once a day), with no side effects, has brought my platelet level to the normal level. I'm new to this & need to learn more. Many thanks for all these very informative posts & helpful posts..
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Hi @nyjean. Hopefully I can answer your question about PV and ET. Those two conditions, along with Myelofibrosis and several other blood conditions are part of a group of blood disorders referred to as Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) sometimes called Myeloproliferative syndromes. Either term applies.
These blood conditions are often, but not always, spawned by the mutation of the JAK2 gene which interferes with the normal production of blood cells in the marrow.
Essential thrombocythemia, which is your diagnosis, is an over production of platelets. Polycythemia Vera is the over production of red blood cells. Both can have serious side effects if proliferation of excess cells aren’t controlled.
HU is one of several drugs available to help reduce the level of excess cells in both conditions. As mentioned, there are other MPNs besides PV and ET. Those may be treated individually with other medications.
To answer your question. PV doesn’t turn into ET or vice versa. However, it is possible to develop more than one MPN at a time. I know of at least one member who has both PV and ET.
I think the best way to get a grasp of what is happening and maybe answer your questions better than I can would be to give you some links to some good informational articles. These are my go-to favorites for info on MPNs
~From Healthline.com and Verywellhealth.com
https://www.healthline.com/health/cancer/myeloproliferative-disorders
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https://www.verywellhealth.com/myeloproliferative-disorders-5209654
This is a good article which explains about the JAK2 mutation and its impact on blood cell development.
Also from Verywellhealth.com
https://www.verywellhealth.com/jak2-mutation-5217909
It sounds as though you’re having good success with taking the HU to get your platelet level back in the normal range. You mentioned not having a bone marrow biopsy. A biopsy isn’t necessary to diagnose an MPN, however hematologists may use this important test as a baseline to make sure the bone marrow is healthy and capable of producing healthy blood products. As long as you’re being monitored on a routine basis and having good success with the HU your doctor may not feel the need of a biopsy. So no worries. ☺️
Read of the material I posted and let me know if you need any clarification, ok?