Myeloproliferative neoplasms are very rare, with only around 20,000 total cases diagnosed in the U.S. each year according to the National Cancer Institute. Facing a myeloproliferative neoplasms diagnosis? Then you need the team with extensive experience, the latest techniques and the most innovative approaches. That team is Hoag. As the highest-volume cancer center in Orange County, Hoag sees and treats more blood cancer cases, including rare types like myeloproliferative neoplasms. That's expertise we can put to work for you, to find the treatments that can make a difference.
Being diagnosed with a rare blood cancer like myeloproliferative neoplasms can be confusing. Who can you trust? Where can you turn for answers to the questions that could determine so much? Diagnosed with myeloproliferative neoplasms? Trust Hoag. Our hematological cancer team includes world-renowned specialists, groundbreaking approaches, life-changing research and the best support programs in California for patients and families dealing with cancer. With Hoag in your corner, you're ready to fight.
Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) are a group of blood cancers in which a person’s bone marrow makes too many of a certain type of blood cell, or makes blood cells that don’t mature properly. The type of blood cell being overproduced — including platelets, white blood cells or red blood cells — determines which type of myeloproliferative neoplasms a person has.
There are six main types of myeloproliferative neoplasms
Chronic myelogenous leukemia, in which the bone marrow makes too many white blood cells.
Polycythemia vera, in which the bone marrow overproduces red blood cells, while sometimes also increasing the number of white blood cells and platelets. Polycythemia vera can make the blood thick, and cause swelling in the spleen. The condition can also cause clots to form in blood vessels, which can raise a person’s risk of stroke or heart attack.
Primary myelofibrosis (AKA chronic idiopathic myelofibrosis), in which blood stem cells don’t mature properly and the fibrous tissue inside the bone marrow becomes scar-like and thick. These improperly-matured cells, called “blasts,” can build up and inhibit your bone marrow’s ability to make new blood cells.
Essential thrombocythemia, in which the bone marrow makes too many platelets, which may stick together, block blood vessels or form clots. This can cause bleeding issues and increase the risk of stroke or heart attack.
Chronic neutrophilic leukemia, in which too many blood stem cells become neutrophils, which are infection-fighting cells that help destroy bacteria and rid the body of dead cells.
Chronic eosinophilic leukemia, in which the bone marrow makes too many eosinophils, a type of infection-fighting cell that primarily reacts to allergens and helps fight off certain microscopic parasites.
The symptoms of each form of myeloproliferative neoplasms are different. Some forms of the disease present no symptoms in early stages, or symptoms that are also associated with other conditions.
According to the National Cancer Institute:
Unexplained or recurring headaches
A feeling of fullness in the abdomen, particularly on the left side below the ribs
Stroke
Heart attack
Unexplained weakness
Unexplained or recurring dizziness
Unexplained weight loss
Headaches
Double vision or seeing dark spots or blind spots
Full-body itching, especially after a hot or warm shower or bath
A feeling of fullness in the abdomen, particularly on the left side below the ribs
Unexplained, recurring fever
Extreme night sweats
Unexplained fatigue
Anemia
Shortness of breath
Unexplained weight loss
Petechiae, which are red, pinprick-sized spots of blood under the skin
Feeling full earlier than usual while eating
Unexplained headaches
Unexplained vision or hearing problems
Fever or redness in the hands and feet
A burning or tingling sensation in the hands and feet
Swelling of the liver and spleen, which can cause a feeling of fullness on the left side of the abdomen
Explained fever or sore throat
Unexplained weight loss
Unexplained fever
Recurring cough
Swelling around the eyes, lips, in the throat or in the hands and feet
Unexplained muscle soreness
Severe fatigue
Unexplained itching
Diarrhea
The search for the root cause of myeloproliferative neoplasms is ongoing. However, there are a few factors that are thought to increase your risk of developing different types of myeloproliferative neoplasms:
Living with a large family as a child
Growing up in a low-income household
Obesity
A history of heavy tobacco smoking
A history of multiple CT scans
Being a carrier of certain genetic mutations
Currently, there’s no known way to definitively prevent myeloproliferative neoplasms. However, ways to reduce your risk of developing myeloproliferative neoplasms may include:
Avoid being overweight by eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise. Here at Hoag, we offer help with weight management to help reduce the risk of myeloproliferative neoplasms and other serious conditions that are linked to being overweight.
Don’t smoke or use tobacco products
Myeloproliferative neoplasms are most often diagnosed through blood testing after patients go to their doctor with symptoms they can’t explain. After discussing your symptoms, your doctor will likely order what’s called a complete blood count (CBC), which counts the different types of cells in your blood. Your doctor may also request what’s known as a peripheral blood smear, which determines if your blood contains abnormally-shaped or improperly matured cells. Your blood may also be tested for certain genetic mutations that can lead to different types of myeloproliferative neoplasms.
Depending on the results of those tests, your doctor may request what’s called a bone marrow aspiration and biopsy. In this procedure, a hollow needle is inserted through the skin and into the hip bone or breastbone so that a sample of bone marrow can be removed for examination in a lab. This sample may be subjected to what’s known as cytogenetic analysis, which inspects the chromosomes in the sample to see if they’re broken, missing or otherwise abnormal.
Certain types of myeloproliferative neoplasms have unique methods of diagnosis. Polycythemia vera, for example, is often diagnosed through what’s called a serum erythropoietin test, which checks levels of the hormone erythropoietin in the blood. In patients with polycythemia vera, levels of this hormone would be lower than in a healthy person, because the body has an overabundance of red blood cells.
With a constellation of possible blood cancers, each with their own symptoms and treatment options, timely, correct diagnosis is key to your effective treatment.
No hospital in California is more committed to accuracy in diagnosis than Hoag, even with rare blood cancers like myeloproliferative neoplasms. At Hoag Family Cancer Institute, our blood cancers team includes medical oncologists who specialize in hematology, radiation oncologists, advanced endoscopists and board-certified surgeons, all working to provide you not just with treatment, but the right treatment for you. Learn more about Hoag’s specialized blood cancers team.
Hoag is Southern California’s leader in peace of mind for cancer patients through our Clinical Nurse Navigator program. This unique program provides cancer patients and their families with access to nurses who have specialized training in specific cancers, allowing them to serve as facilitators and guides throughout diagnosis and treatment.
By answering questions, providing support and serving as a trusted source of science-backed information at each phase of treatment, Hoag’s Clinical Nurse Navigators are a critical resource for patients. Find more information here about Hoag’s hematological cancer clinical nurse navigator program.
Currently, there’s no known cure for the various forms of myeloproliferative neoplasms. However, treatments are available to lessen the impact of some of the symptoms, and new approaches are being developed every day. At Hoag Family Cancer Institute, our multidisciplinary team offers globally-recognized options for those facing this challenging disease, with treatments tailored to meet each patient’s specific needs. At Hoag, treatments to lessen or control the symptoms of myeloproliferative neoplasms may include:
Phlebotomy, in which blood is drawn from the body as a way to remove excess red blood cells
Platelet apheresis, which puts a patient’s blood through a special machine that removes excess platelets before returning the treated blood to the patient’s body
Transfusion, in which blood is intravenously given to the patient to replace certain blood cells of which they may have too few
Splenectomy, which is a surgery to remove the spleen if it is enlarged
Surveillance, in which physicians closely monitor a patient’s condition to see if it advances, recedes or stays the same. This can be very helpful in planning a treatment course.
Radiation therapy, which uses radiation to kill cancer in the body or keep it from growing. Radiation therapy is often used in combination with chemotherapy.
Chemotherapy uses drug therapy to help destroy cancer cells. Chemotherapy is often combined with radiation therapy. In individuals with advanced myeloproliferative neoplasms, chemotherapy may be used alone or it may be combined with targeted drug therapy.
Targeted therapy and precision medicine, utilizes DNA testing of patients tumors, to help select and formulate drugs that attack specific abnormalities within cancer cells. This can result in less damage to health tissues. For example, Tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy blocks signals that cancerous cells need to grow.
Myeloproliferative neoplasms are rare, and there are widely-differing opinions on effective treatments for the various types of the disease. Diagnosed with myeloproliferative neoplasms? You need the skill, technology and experience that can only be provided by a major, highly-experienced cancer center. You need Hoag.
At Hoag, our team has seen and treated more myeloproliferative neoplasm cases than any other center in Southern California. That means we’ve got the experience and skill that can make all the difference for you, especially when facing rare and challenging cancers like myeloproliferative neoplasms. When you’re ready to fight, Hoag’s here to help.
At Hoag Family Cancer Institute, we’re committed to offering the best support services, resources and educational information to our patients and their families at every stage of their cancer journey. Hoag’s Integrated Cancer Support Services are open to everyone regardless of their prognosis, cancer stage or phase of recovery.
Resources include:
Financial Navigators for cancer-related care
Find more information about Integrated Cancer Support Services at Hoag.
Hoag is committed to leading the way in state-of-the-art technologies and advanced treatment options. Part of this commitment includes clinical research with the goal of helping patients live longer, healthier lives. Through carefully-planned clinical trials, researchers evaluate the safety and effectiveness of new ways to diagnose, treat and prevent diseases or conditions. Treatments studied in clinical trials might be new drugs or new combinations of drugs, new surgical procedures or devices, or new ways to use existing treatments. View clinical trials for hematologic cancers here.
At Hoag, our clinical research team is committed to excellence in research and protecting the interests and well-being of patients. Contact us at 949-536-7332 to see if joining a clinical trial for myeloproliferative neoplasms is right for you.
At Hoag, we understand that a cancer diagnosis may cause you and your family to experience a variety of significant life changes. We are committed to providing you with support before, during and after treatment. Hoag’s survivorship resources help you navigate through the challenges of telling friends and family about your cancer, working while living with cancer, returning to “normal” after cancer and so much more. We strive to provide you with the resources needed to feel empowered in your everyday life.