Other Blood Disorders

Other disorders of the blood treated by the physicians at the Center for Hematologic Malignancies include:

• Myelodysplastic syndromes
• Polycythemia rubra vera
• Essential thrombocytosis
• Agnogenic myeloid metaplasia
  

  Myelodysplastic syndromes

  Myelodysplastic syndromes are a group of diseases caused when the bone marrow do not make enough healthy blood cells. Healthy bone marrow makes three kinds of cells:

  • red blood cells that carry oxygen to the body
  • white blood cells that fight off disease and infection
  • platelets that help blood to clot and stop bleeding.

  The specific type of myelodysplastic syndrome is determined by the type or types of blood cells lacking from the blood.

  Symptoms

  Common symptoms of myelodysplastic syndromes include:

  • Easily exhaustible
  • Shortness of breath
  • Bruising or bleeding easily
  • Tiny, flat blood spots under the skin called petechiae
  • Infections or fevers

  Diagnosis
  When a patient presents with symptoms that may suggest myelodysplastic syndromes, your doctor will use several diagnostic methods to make an accurate diagnosis.

  1. Your doctor will ask for a complete medical history and will perform a thorough physical examination. Diagnostic tests may include:

  • Blood Tests
  • Biopsies. During a biopsy, a small sample of bone marrow and/or bone is taken from the hip or another large bone so doctors can look at its make-up in order to find any signs of abnormal changes.

    There are two common types of biopsy used to help diagnose blood cancers and diseases:

  • Bone marrow aspiration--the sample of bone marrow is taken by putting a thin needle into the bone and removing a sample of the marrow
  • Bone marrow biopsy--a sample of both the bone and bone marrow is taken from the bone with a thick needle

  Once a bone marrow sample is obtained, it can be analyzed in a laboratory by a pathologist to determine what type of blood cancer or disease is present.

  2. Your doctor may want to do further tests. These tests may include radiographic evaluations.

Treatment

The treatment for myelodysplastic syndromes depends on the diagnosis, type and stage of the disease.

These treatments may include:

• Chemotherapy
• Supportive therapy to control the symptoms

Treatment will vary from patient to patient. The team of specialists at the Center for Hematologic Malignancies is highly experienced at working with patients to develop effective individualized treatment plans, using our comprehensive approach for blood malignancies.

Learn more about technologies for treatment.

Polycythemia rubra vera

Polycythemia rubra vera is a disease that occurs when bone marrow makes too many blood cells. This causes the blood to be too viscous (thick and sticky). Healthy bone marrow makes three kinds of cells:

• red blood cells that carry oxygen to the body
• white blood cells that fight off disease and infection
• platelets that help blood to clot and stop bleeding

In polycythemia rubra vera, all three types of blood cells are over-produced. This disease is also called polycythemia vera.

Symptoms

• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Feeling itchy, especially after a bath
• Red skin, especially on the face
• Feeling short of breath

Diagnosis
When a patient presents with symptoms that may suggest polycythemia rubra vera, your doctor will use several diagnostic methods to make an accurate diagnosis.

1. Your doctor will ask for a complete medical history and will perform a thorough physical examination. Diagnostic tests may include:

• Blood Tests
• Biopsies. During a biopsy, a small sample of bone marrow and/or bone is taken from the hip or another large bone so doctors can look at its make-up in order to find any signs of abnormal changes.

  There are two common types of biopsy used to help diagnose blood cancers and diseases:

  • Bone marrow aspiration--the sample of bone marrow is taken by putting a thin needle into the bone and removing a sample of the marrow
  • Bone marrow biopsy--a sample of both the bone and bone marrow is taken from the bone with a thick needle

  Once a bone marrow sample is obtained, it can be analyzed in a laboratory by a pathologist to determine what type of blood cancer or disease is present.

  2. Your doctor may want to do further tests. These tests may include radiographic evaluations.

Treatment

Polycythemia rubra vera is treated by reducing the viscosity (thickness of blood). One approach is by phlebotomy, removing one pint of blood once a week until the appropriate levels in the blood are reached.

Sometimes polycythemia rubra vera may be treated by chemotherapy (drug therapy).

Treatment will vary from patient to patient. The team of specialists at the Center for Hematologic Malignancies is highly experienced at working with patients to develop effective individualized treatment plans, using our comprehensive approach for blood malignancies.

Essential Thrombocytosis

Essential thrombocytosis is caused by too many platelets, the cells that help blood to clot and stop bleeding. It is also known as primary thrombocytosis.

Symptoms

Common symptoms of essential thrombocytosis include:

• Bleeding from the gums
• Bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract (stomach and intestines)
• Bloody bowel movements
• Nosebleeds
• Bruising easily
• Headache

Diagnosis
When a patient presents with symptoms that may suggest essential thrombocytosis, your doctor will use several diagnostic methods to make an accurate diagnosis.

1. Your doctor will ask for a complete medical history and will perform a thorough physical examination. Diagnostic tests may include:

• Blood Tests
• Biopsies. During a biopsy, a small sample of bone marrow and/or bone is taken from the hip or another large bone so doctors can look at its make-up in order to find any signs of abnormal changes.

  There are two common types of biopsy used to help diagnose blood cancers and diseases:

  • Bone marrow aspiration--the sample of bone marrow is taken by putting a thin needle into the bone and removing a sample of the marrow
  • Bone marrow biopsy--a sample of both the bone and bone marrow is taken from the bone with a thick needle

  Once a bone marrow sample is obtained, it can be analyzed in a laboratory by a pathologist to determine what type of blood cancer or disease is present.

  2. Your doctor may want to do further tests. These tests may include radiographic evaluations.

Treatment

Depending on the severity of the disease, some patients may not need any treatments. Others may use medications to reduce the number of platelets in the blood.

In some cases, essential thrombocytosis is treated by removing platelets from the blood in a process called platelet pheresis. In platelet pheresis, blood is removed from the patient's arm and passed through a machine that removes the platelets. The rest of the blood is then returned into the patient's body.

Treatment will vary from patient to patient. The team of specialists at the Center for Hematologic Malignancies is highly experienced at working with patients to develop effective individualized treatment plans, using our comprehensive approach for blood malignancies.

Agnogenic myeloid metaplasia

Agnogenic myeloid metaplasia (AMM) is a cancer of the bone marrow. When this disease affects the bone marrow, it changes so the network of fibers thickens and impairs blood production. Because the bone marrow cannot make enough blood, the liver and spleen, two other organs in the body, take over blood production instead. This disease is also known as chronic idiopathic myelofibrosis.

Symptoms

Common symptoms of agnogenic myeloid metaplasia include:

• Feeling fullness or pain on the left side below the ribs
• Feeling short of breath
• Easily exhaustible
• Bruising or bleeding easily
• Fever
• Weight loss
• Night sweats
• Tiny, flat blood spots under the skin called petechiae

Diagnosis
When a patient presents with symptoms that may suggest agnogenic myeloid metaplasia, your doctor will use several diagnostic methods to make an accurate diagnosis.

1. Your doctor will ask for a complete medical history and will perform a thorough physical examination. Diagnostic tests may include:

• Blood Tests
• Biopsies. During a biopsy, a small sample of bone marrow and/or bone is taken from the hip or another large bone so doctors can look at its make-up in order to find any signs of abnormal changes.

  There are two common types of biopsy used to help diagnose blood cancers and diseases:

  • Bone marrow aspiration--the sample of bone marrow is taken by putting a thin needle into the bone and removing a sample of the marrow
  • Bone marrow biopsy--a sample of both the bone and bone marrow is taken from the bone with a thick needle

  Once a bone marrow sample is obtained, it can be analyzed in a laboratory by a pathologist to determine what type of blood cancer or disease is present.

  2. Your doctor may want to do further tests. These tests may include radiographic evaluations.

Treatment

Treatment for agnogenic myeloid metaplasia may include:

• red blood cell transfusion
• medications

Treatment will vary from patient to patient. The team of specialists at the Center for Hematologic Malignancies is highly experienced at working with patients to develop effective individualized treatment plans, using our comprehensive approach for blood malignancies.