Myelofibrosis goes by many names including idiopathic myelofibrosis, agnogenic myeloid metaplasia, chronic myelosclerosis, aleukemic megakaryocytic myelosis, and leukoerythroblastosis
Because symptoms are similar to other diseases (mostly leukemias), myelofibrosis is not easy to diagnose
Myelofibrosis can progress to acute lymphocytic leukemia or lymphoma
Myelofibrosis is caused by an abnormality in a single stem cell, which causes it to grow out of control
Idiopathic myelofibrosis typically becomes progressively worse and can cause death
About one quarter of all patients with myelofibrosis have no symptoms (asymptomatic)
Chemotherapy can potentially contribute to the development of myelofibrosis, particularly as a late effect following treatment for certain cancers. It may cause damage to the bone marrow, leading to abnormal scar tissue formation and impaired blood cell production. However, myelofibrosis can also arise from other causes, including genetic mutations and underlying diseases. If you have concerns about chemotherapy and myelofibrosis, it’s important to discuss them with a healthcare professional.
Although historically there has not been much improvement in the treatment of myelofibrosis, that has changed recently. The main treatment now consists of taking a medication known as "Jakafi" which targets the gene thought to cause myelofibrosis.
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