1. < Blood Cancers & Disorders

JAK2 Mutation - Effects and Questions

Posted by ettap @ettap, Mar 29, 2018

Have JAK2 mutation verified twice; one year apart and from different labs. As I understand, it may cause polycythemia vera, essential thrombocytosis, or leukemia. My hematologist has not provided any real info on this mutation so I've been researching via internet. I knew leukemia is cancer but was disappointed to find out today that the other 2 are blood cancers as well. I have been seeing a hematologist every 3 mos. about this since my 2nd blood clotting event in 09/2016. To date, all my blood factors have been in the normal range. Here are some of my questions: 1. Is it typical to verify this mutation well before it triggers one of these diseases? 2. I know early detection of cancer can be a real plus, but is there any research or experience that supports proactive steps that can be taken to deter the onset of any of these possibilities? 3. With polycythemia vera and essential thrombocytosis, is blood letting the primary treatment? If so, can the blood be donated? 4. Since none of my blood factors have ever been out of the normal range to date, no specific result of the JAK2 mutation has raised its ugly head. Is this normal? I'm not typically a worrier. In fact, I do really well with things like this once I know what I am dealing with. Information becomes my sword which allows me to take worry and nip it in the bud.

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1995victoria | @1995victoria | Feb 17, 2023

Interesting that Dr did a DNA analysis. I had a bunch of blood tests and a bone marrow biopsy and aspiration. I also have ET with Jak2 and take HU plus baby aspirin

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Rhonda Gregory | @rjgregory440 | Feb 16, 2023
In reply to @chetalbin "I’ve had high platelets in the 600-700 range for close to 20 yrs. It was never..." + (show)
@chetalbin

I’ve had high platelets in the 600-700 range for close to 20 yrs. It was never brought to my attention until recently when I had a stent put in. I’ve been on a blood thinner & aspirin for 10 months.
Now I’ve been confirmed with JAK2 with a blood test & a bone marrow biopsy. My Hematologist suggest 500 mg of HU daily.
Many ppl on this sight and several Drs suggest no reason to panic and start taking HU until platelets reach 900,000 to one million.
What am I missing? Comments please

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I believe that no two peoples cases are the same and as the JAK2 mutation is rare, doctors are treating patients on an as needed basis. In my case, my platelet count never reached 700. However, I've been seen at the same medical practice for my entire adult life (in my 60's). My doctors felt that the steady rise (platelet count was always well within normal range) was enough cause for concern that they performed the DNA analyses. Immediately after the positve JAK2 test result I was prescribed 500 mg Hydrea daily along with a low dose aspirin daily. Everyone here will have a sightly different journey...you're not missing anything, you're just on your own journey. I hope it's a long and uneventful one! 😉

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chetalbin | @chetalbin | Feb 15, 2023

I’ve had high platelets in the 600-700 range for close to 20 yrs. It was never brought to my attention until recently when I had a stent put in. I’ve been on a blood thinner & aspirin for 10 months.
Now I’ve been confirmed with JAK2 with a blood test & a bone marrow biopsy. My Hematologist suggest 500 mg of HU daily.
Many ppl on this sight and several Drs suggest no reason to panic and start taking HU until platelets reach 900,000 to one million.
What am I missing? Comments please

REPLY
1 reply
eileen11108 | @eileen11108 | Feb 14, 2023
In reply to @becky1024 "I find your post informative because I was diagnosed with MGUS in 2019. It’s a blood..." + (show)
@becky1024

I find your post informative because I was diagnosed with MGUS in 2019. It’s a blood disorder that at present looks like it’s progressing into Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma or worse Waldenstrom Macroglobulemia. A number of the issues with. JAK 2 are present in my bloodwork too. My B cells are mutated causing a drop in my red blood cells and platelets too. I’ve been anemic for over 3 years, longer than when they found I had MGUS. In researching JAK 2, I realized that the 5 blood clots between November 2021 and March 2022 may be triggered by undetected JAK 2. The first clot was the worst, it ended up in my right lung as a very serious Pulmonary Embolism. Number 3 blood clot tried to block my stent in the left atrial chamber and almost killed me. I have bloodwork scheduled for November, think I ask my Oncologist to add a JAK 2 test as well besides my cancer screening. Thanks for giving information I can and will use. Becky1024

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I hope you are now on a blood thinner or low dose aspirin. So many clots are frightening.

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Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Feb 13, 2023
In reply to @iis "Hello, I have a few questions, recently, I was diagnosed with Jak2. Unlikely but still fairly..." + (show)
@iis

Hello, I have a few questions, recently, I was diagnosed with Jak2. Unlikely but still fairly possible. The reason I am posting here is because my father also received a positive result when he took the jak 2 test a year back. Has anybody else experienced this? Thanks

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Welcome @iis. Are you asking whether the Jak2 mutation is hereditary?

Here's more information that you might find helpful
- What Is the JAK2 Gene? https://www.healthline.com/health/myelofibrosis/what-is-the-jak2-gene

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iis | @iis | Feb 13, 2023

Hello, I have a few questions, recently, I was diagnosed with Jak2. Unlikely but still fairly possible. The reason I am posting here is because my father also received a positive result when he took the jak 2 test a year back. Has anybody else experienced this? Thanks

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1 reply
lag630 | @lag630 | Aug 18, 2022
In reply to @loribmt "Good morning! By my reckoning it’s Day 25 post transplant for your husband. I just happened..." + (show)
@loribmt

Good morning! By my reckoning it’s Day 25 post transplant for your husband. I just happened to run across my journal entry for my Day 25 this morning while rummaging through documents on my computer. Amazing how life has changed since then. It’s always interesting to read what I wrote along that journey, to watch the progress!

I hope your husband is gaining strenth now and feeling much better than a couple of weeks ago. I’m expecting his appetite has improved a little and he’s getting more food down. Has he been walking around the neighborhoods of Rochester?
Caregiving for a SCT patient is a challenge. Especially getting us to eat! LOL. How are you holding up? ☺️

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Hi Lori,
Doing ok. I’m just taking things a day at a time. He is doing a little better every day. Eating hasn’t been a problem for him but getting enough fluids in continues to be a challenge. We are working on that. He has had extreme fatigue but is slowly coming out of it. He’s now more willing to take short walks, which is great. No GVHD either. We celebrate every milestone😊.

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rlybolt | @rlybolt | Aug 13, 2022

with pv NO when they take your blood it cannot be donated. I asked the oncologist about stem cell andwas told it might kill me and pv is associatedwith jak2.

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Mentor
Lori, Volunteer Mentor | @loribmt | Aug 12, 2022
In reply to @lag630 "Thank you. We will try." + (show)
@lag630

Thank you. We will try.

Jump to this post

Good morning! By my reckoning it’s Day 25 post transplant for your husband. I just happened to run across my journal entry for my Day 25 this morning while rummaging through documents on my computer. Amazing how life has changed since then. It’s always interesting to read what I wrote along that journey, to watch the progress!

I hope your husband is gaining strenth now and feeling much better than a couple of weeks ago. I’m expecting his appetite has improved a little and he’s getting more food down. Has he been walking around the neighborhoods of Rochester?
Caregiving for a SCT patient is a challenge. Especially getting us to eat! LOL. How are you holding up? ☺️

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