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Essential Thrombocythemia: Looking for information and support
Blood Cancers & Disorders | Last Active: Jun 17 9:11am | Replies (504)Comment receiving replies
Essential Thrombocythemia is one of a related group of blood cancers known as “myeloproliferative neoplasms” (MPNs) in which cells in the bone marrow that produce the blood cells develop and function. I’ve posted some links to credible medically sourced websites for you which explains MPNs and ET.
From Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24031-essential-thrombocythemia
~Is essential thrombocythemia a form of cancer?
“Essential thrombocythemia is an example of a myeloproliferative neoplasm. These are blood cancers that happen when your body produces too many blood cells.”
~~
BloodCancer.com https://blood-What is Essential Thrombocythemia?
cancer.com/clinical/essential-thrombocythemia
~~~
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
https://www.lls.org/myeloproliferative-neoplasms/essential-thrombocythemia
I know the word cancer sparks a unique level of fear. The MPNs are often very slow to develop and aren’t aggressive so sometimes it feels that the term cancer is over stated. However anytime we have issues with our bone marrow not producing healthy blood cells or producing them out of control, that is a blood cancer. Blood cancer affects how your body produces blood cells and how well those cells work.
So to answer your question from credible sources, yes, ET is a blood cancer. Does this help? ☺️
Replies to "Essential Thrombocythemia is one of a related group of blood cancers known as “myeloproliferative neoplasms” (MPNs)..."
Thank you Lori. I’m in NZ and my specialists are insistent that this is not cancer. When I pressed it, the answer was that it could be described as “pre-cancerous perhaps, but not cancer”. I’ve found this confusing due to many articles I’ve read.
I think for me, the word cancer is such a ‘big’ word that it feels important to define it fully in relation to my condition. But perhaps different countries and specialists have varying interpretations and understandings, so I will have to live in the ‘in-between’ lol.
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Thank-you, Lori, now I’ll continue to write on this board, this info is in all the information booklets given when diagnosed. Plus when you research it’s there in black and white. I’m in the UK and have looked at papers from all over the world, and all say the same.