Myeloproliferative neoplasms are slow-growing blood cancers in which the marrow overproduces red cells (polycythaemia vera), platelets (essential thrombocythaemia) or scar tissue (myelofibrosis). Almost all carry a mutation in JAK2, CALR or MPL; treatment aims to prevent clots and control symptoms, and only transplant cures myelofibrosis.
The classical BCR-ABL1-negative MPNs (polycythaemia vera, essential thrombocythaemia, primary myelofibrosis) are clonal diseases driven by JAK-STAT activation: JAK2 V617F in ~95% of PV and ~60% of ET/PMF, CALR in ~25% of ET/PMF, MPL in ~5%. Risk in PV/ET is thrombosis (managed with aspirin, phlebotomy, hydroxyurea or interferon); in myelofibrosis it is cytopenias, splenomegaly, constitutional symptoms and leukaemic transformation (about 10-20%), risk-scored by DIPSS-plus, MIPSS70 and MIPSS70+ v2.0.
Ruxolitinib (COMFORT-I/II, 2011) was the first JAK inhibitor; fedratinib (2019), pacritinib (2022, for platelets <50) and momelotinib (2023, for anaemic patients) followed. None is disease-modifying: allogeneic transplant remains the only cure for myelofibrosis. Ropeginterferon alfa-2b (2021) is the first approved interferon for PV with evidence of molecular response, and rusfertide (2026), a hepcidin mimetic, is the first drug to control PV erythrocytosis without phlebotomy (VERIFY). CALR-directed antibodies and JAK2 V617F-selective inhibitors are the disease-modifying hope; pelabresib (BET inhibitor) plus ruxolitinib improved spleen response but not symptoms in MANIFEST-2.
Averages across everyone diagnosed, often years ago. A median is the middle of a group: half the people counted lived longer than the figure shown, and some lived far longer. Your stage, subtype, age, fitness and the treatment you receive matter more than the average, and the numbers are improving quickly.
Leukaemias, myeloma and MDS live in the marrow and blood; lymphomas grow in lymph nodes and spleen. The node stations are the disease map, not a route of spread, and staging counts them.
In lymphoma the node stations are the disease itself; staging (Ann Arbor / Lugano) counts how many regions and sides of the diaphragm are involved.
Same organ: High-grade B-cell lymphoma with MYC and BCL2 rearrangements (double-hit lymphoma), Mediastinal grey zone lymphoma, Primary effusion lymphoma, Plasmablastic lymphoma, T-cell/histiocyte-rich large B-cell lymphoma, EBV-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, Primary large B-cell lymphoma of the testis, Gastric MALT lymphoma, Ocular adnexal MALT lymphoma, Extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, Adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma, ALK-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma, ALK-negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma, Breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma, Primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma, Lymphomatoid papulosis, Mycosis fungoides, Enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma, Monomorphic epitheliotropic intestinal T-cell lymphoma, Extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT lymphoma), Splenic marginal zone lymphoma, Nodal marginal zone lymphoma, Primary cutaneous marginal zone lymphoma, Primary cutaneous follicle centre lymphoma, Sezary syndrome, Nodal T-follicular helper cell lymphoma, angioimmunoblastic type (angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma), Hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma, Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma, Lymphomatoid granulomatosis, T-cell prolymphocytic leukaemia, Splenic B-cell lymphoma/leukaemia with prominent nucleoli (formerly B-cell prolymphocytic leukaemia and hairy cell leukaemia variant), T-cell large granular lymphocytic leukaemia, Mixed-phenotype acute leukaemia, Myeloid leukaemia of Down syndrome, Burkitt leukaemia, Marginal zone lymphoma, Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (mycosis fungoides and Sezary syndrome), Primary mediastinal (thymic) large B-cell lymphoma, Leukaemia (all types), Acute myeloid leukaemia, Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, Follicular lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, Mantle cell lymphoma, Multiple myeloma, Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (all types), Myelodysplastic syndromes / neoplasms (MDS), Polycythaemia vera (PV), Essential thrombocythaemia (ET), Waldenström macroglobulinaemia, Hairy cell leukaemia, Peripheral T-cell lymphomas (including cutaneous T-cell lymphoma), Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN), Burkitt lymphoma, HIV-associated (AIDS-related) lymphomas, Chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia and MDS/MPN overlap neoplasms, Systemic mastocytosis, Erdheim-Chester disease, Rosai-Dorfman disease and other histiocytic neoplasms, Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH), Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD), FLT3-mutated acute myeloid leukaemia, IDH1- and IDH2-mutated acute myeloid leukaemia, NPM1-mutated and KMT2A-rearranged acute myeloid leukaemia, Secondary and therapy-related acute myeloid leukaemia, Acute promyelocytic leukaemia, Acute myeloid leukaemia in older or unfit patients, Smouldering multiple myeloma, Newly diagnosed multiple myeloma, transplant-eligible, Newly diagnosed multiple myeloma, transplant-ineligible, Relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, Plasma cell leukaemia, Lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes, Higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes, Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, first treatment, Relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, Richter transformation of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, Chronic myeloid leukaemia, chronic phase, Chronic myeloid leukaemia, accelerated and blast phase, Primary myelofibrosis, Standard-risk B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in children, High-risk acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in children (high-risk B-ALL and T-ALL), Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in children (Ph-positive ALL), Philadelphia chromosome-like acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (Ph-like or BCR::ABL1-like ALL), Infant acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (KMT2A-rearranged, under one year), Relapsed and refractory acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in children, Acute myeloid leukaemia in children, Erdheim-Chester disease, Rosai-Dorfman-Destombes disease, Single-system Langerhans cell histiocytosis (bone, skin or one other organ), Multisystem Langerhans cell histiocytosis (with or without risk-organ involvement), Indolent and smouldering systemic mastocytosis, Advanced systemic mastocytosis (aggressive SM, SM with an associated haematological neoplasm, mast cell leukaemia), Early-stage classical Hodgkin lymphoma (stage I to II), Advanced-stage classical Hodgkin lymphoma (stage III to IV), Nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (nodular lymphocyte-predominant B-cell lymphoma), Relapsed and refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma
Low-dose aspirin, phlebotomy to haematocrit <45%; cytoreduction (hydroxyurea or ropeginterferon alfa-2b) for high-risk; ruxolitinib after hydroxyurea failure (RESPONSE); rusfertide to eliminate phlebotomy need (VERIFY, 2026).
Risk-adapted (IPSET-thrombosis): observation or aspirin in low risk; hydroxyurea or interferon in high risk; anagrelide second line.
JAK inhibitor for spleen and symptoms: ruxolitinib (COMFORT), fedratinib, pacritinib if platelets <50×10⁹/L, momelotinib if anaemic (MOMENTUM); allogeneic HSCT for eligible patients (the only cure).
Momelotinib, luspatercept (INDEPENDENCE), ESA, danazol, transfusion.
Trials recruiting now, the landmark trials, the trials held by this cancer's subtypes, the key papers and what they mean, the latest literature, and the milestones year by year.
The molecular landscape: the targets and how often each appears, the pathways, the mechanics stages and the preclinical models.
Cases by country, the UK and NHS pathway and other country lenses, the expert centres with trials on record, and the centres named on this cancer's subtypes.
One section per setting: the options named, what each is for, the trials behind them, the recorded trade-offs and the questions to ask.
Reduce dose for CrCl below 60 with platelets under 150; dialysis dosing after each session.
Intense itching, prickling or burning of the skin within minutes of contact with water, typically after a shower. It affects a large minority of people with polycythaemia vera and can be the most disabling symptom.
A shortage of red blood cells or haemoglobin, causing tiredness and breathlessness. In cancer it comes from the disease itself (marrow infiltration, bleeding, inflammation), from chemotherapy suppressing the marrow, and from some targeted drugs.
See all on the product pages:LuspaterceptRopeginterferon alfa-2bRuxolitinib·Printable cards in the navigator
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