Category: Myelofibrosis Blog

There are many treatment options for myelofibrosis patients to consider because cases can vary for everyone. The treatment decision will be made by the doctor after considering several factors that include age, symptoms, and which type of blood cells are being affected.

Myelofibrosis belongs to a group of blood disorders called Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPNs) that cause scarring of the bone marrow due to abnormal production of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Tests for blood and bone marrow can be used to diagnose any of the six MPNs, which include:

• Chronic myelogenous leukemia
• Polycythemia vera
• Primary myelofibrosis
• Essential thrombocythemia
• Chronic neutrophilic leukemia
• Chronic eosinophilic leukemia

Primary myelofibrosis (PMF) is a myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN), which are a subset of bone marrow disorders. Primary myelofibrosis is a rare type of blood cancer characterized by bone marrow fibrosis, which impairs the production of normal blood cells. When myelofibrosis occurs on its own, it is called primary myelofibrosis, whereas secondary myelofibrosis (SMF) is when myelofibrosis occurs as a result of other diseases including MPNs such as polycythemia vera (PV) and essential thrombocythemia (ET).

The cause of myelofibrosis is unknown; however, researchers have discovered that these diseases can be caused by genetic mutations that affect proteins that work in signaling pathways of cells. There are a few risk factors associated with PMF, which include:

• Age: PMF is most commonly diagnosed in people over the age of 60
• Environment: exposure to certain chemicals, for example petrochemicals, can increase risk of developing PMF
• JAK2 Mutation: this mutation is found in 50-60 percent of people with PMF
• CALR Mutation: this mutation is found in approximately 24 percent of people with MF and ET

Secondary myelofibrosis is a type of myelofibrosis (MF) and myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) that develops in people who have other MPNs such as polycythemia vera (PV) or essential thrombocythemia (ET) first. MF that develops on its own in people who have not been diagnosed with other MPNs is called primary myelofibrosis (PMF). MF is a rare type of blood cancer that causes excessive scar tissue to form in the bone marrow, disrupting the body’s normal production of blood cells. The blood cells that are produced as a result of the fibrosis are abnormal.

There are two different types of secondary myelofibrosis which is determined by the type of MPN that occurred before MF did. These two types are post-PV myelofibrosis and post-ET myelofibrosis. Post-PV myelofibrosis occurs with polycythemia vera, while post-ET myelofibrosis occurs with essential thrombocythemia. According to a paper in the American Journal of Managed Care (AJMC), 15 percent of patients with PV may develop myelofibrosis, and only a small number of patients with ET will develop myelofibrosis.

What Are Myelofibrosis Symptoms? Myelofibrosis is an uncommon type of bone marrow cancer that disrupts your body's normal production of blood cells. This disease occurs when bone marrow stem cells develop mutations in their DNA and affects approximately 1.5 cases per 100,000 people. The end outcome is usually an overproduction of blood cells from a malfunctioning spleen or a lack of red blood cells, which causes anemia. Patients may identify a range of myelofibrosis symptoms, from mild to severe, as a result of the normally spongy bone marrow becoming thick and scarred.

What are primary or secondary Myelofibrosis Symptoms? Myelofibrosis is called primary myelofibrosis when it develops on its own and not as a result of another bone marrow disease. Myelofibrosis can also be caused by a worsening of other bone marrow diseases such as polycythemia vera and essential thrombocythemia which is known as secondary myelofibrosis.

JAK2 and Myelofibrosis are often mentioned together due half of myelofibrosis cases occurring in JAK2 positive individuals. JAK2 is a protein that promotes the growth and reproduction of cells. It is a part of the JAK/STAT pathway. Myelofibrosis is a blood disorder that replaces healthy bone marrow with fibrous scar tissue, leading to fibrosis. Myelofibrosis belongs to a group of chronic blood disorders known as Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPNs).

What are the symptoms of JAK2 and Myelofibrosis? JAK2 mutated cells grow and divide at a rapid rate, leading to the bone marrow being damaged further, causing more symptoms including anemia, an enlarged spleen, and more. The JAK2 mutation is found in roughly half of all primary myelofibrosis cases. Primary myelofibrosis develops on its own, which is more common than its counterpart. Myelofibrosis that stems from another blood disorder or disease is known as secondary myelofibrosis.

Myelofibrosis clinical trials are studies that help advance cancer research. These trials aim to hopefully have more therapies and treatment combinations approved in order to improve outcomes for myelofibrosis patients. Myelofibrosis clinical trials can help provide the most favorable treatment for some patients. Myelofibrosis is a bone marrow disorder that affects the body by disrupting the normal production of red blood cells. It occurs when blood stem cells develop a genetic mutation, and the mutation is passed on to new cells with the replication and division during cell production. Symptoms of myelofibrosis include:

Myelofibrosis is a rare form of bone marrow cancer that effects the production of blood cells that is caused by mutations in bone marrow stem cell DNA. Researchers today are still trying to determine why these mutations occur. The mutated blood cells continue to produce until they influence the production of red blood cells, platelets, and white blood cells. There are less than 20,000 patients in the United States with Myelofibrosis.