Got Essential Thrombocytosis?: January 2019

Tuesday, January 8, 2019

MDS and MPNs

MDS--myelodysplastic syndromes--are a group of disorders that cause "bone marrow failure." Basically, the bone marrow stops producing enough usable blood cells. I bring it up here because it is kinda, sorta related to myeloproliferative neoplasms, the family of cancers that includes ET, and ET MIGHT be a risk factor for developing MDS.

Before you freak out, read on ...

Alphabet soup glossary

AML: Acute myelogenous leukemia. A type of leukemia sometimes developed by a small number of MPN patients.
AVW: Acquired von Willebrand disease. A bleeding disorder caused by extremely high platelet counts. Oral chemo can reverse AVW.
CALR: Calreticulin protein, which is an alternative indicator of ET to JAK2.
CML: Chronic myeloid leukemia.
DVT: deep vein thrombosis. Many patients are diagnosed with ET when they develop a blood clot.
ET: Essential thrombocytosis aka essential thrombocythemia. An MPN typified by too many platelets.
HU: Shorthand for hydroxyurea (Hydrea), still the leading oral chemo for most ET patients.
JAK2: A gene (Janus Kinase 2) in which a mutation (V617F) is present in many patients with MPNs, including ET.
mcL: Microliter. A microliter is the equivalent of a cubic milliliter of liquid, i.e., blood, if you're reading a platelet count.
MF: Myelofibrosis. A bone marrow disease developed by some ET and PCV patients in which the bone marrow has difficulty producing normal blood cells.
MPL: Myeloproliferative leukemic protein. Another indicator of ET, like JAK2 and CALR.
MPN: Myeloproliferative neoplasm. A group of blood diseases of which ET is one.
ODA: Orphan Drug Act of 1983. U.S. legislation designed to encourage research for treatment of rare ("orphan") diseases.
PCV or PV: Polycythemia vera. An MPN typified by too many red blood cells.
SM: Systemic mastocytosis. A type of MPN in which the body produces too many blood cells called masts.