Treatment Options for Chronic Myeloproliferative Disorders

Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia
Polycythemia Vera
Primary Myelofibrosis
Essential Thrombocythemia
Chronic Neutrophilic Leukemia
Chronic Eosinophilic Leukemia

A link to a list of current clinical trials is included for each treatment section. For some types or stages of cancer, there may not be any trials listed. Check with your doctor for clinical trials that are not listed here but may be right for you.

See the PDQ summary about Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia Treatment for information.

The purpose of treatment for polycythemia vera is to reduce the number of extra blood cells. Treatment of polycythemia vera may include the following:

• Phlebotomy.
• Chemotherapy with or without phlebotomy.
• Biologic therapy using interferon alfa or pegylated interferon alpha..
• Low-dose aspirin.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with polycythemia vera. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.

Treatment of primary myelofibrosis in patients without symptoms is usually watchful waiting.

Patients with primary myelofibrosis may have symptoms of anemia. Anemia is usually treated with transfusion of red blood cells to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life. In addition, anemia may be treated with:

• Erythropoietic growth factors.
• Prednisone.
• Danazol.
• Thalidomide, lenalidomide, or pomalidomide, with or without prednisone.

Treatment of primary myelofibrosis in patients with other symptoms may include the following:

• Targeted therapy with ruxolitinib.
• Chemotherapy.
• Donor stem cell transplant.
• Thalidomide, lenalidomide, or pomalidomide.
• Splenectomy.
• Radiation therapy to the spleen, lymph nodes, or other areas outside the bone marrow where blood cells are forming.
• Biologic therapy using interferon alfa or erythropoietic growth factors.
• A clinical trial of other targeted therapy drugs.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with primary myelofibrosis. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.

Treatment of essential thrombocythemia in patients younger than 60 years who have no symptoms and an acceptable platelet count is usually watchful waiting. Treatment of other patients may include the following:

• Chemotherapy.
• Anagrelide therapy.
• Biologic therapy using interferon alfa or pegylated interferon alpha.
• Platelet apheresis.
• A clinical trial of a new treatment.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with essential thrombocythemia. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.

Treatment of chronic neutrophilic leukemia may include the following:

• Donor bone marrow transplant.
• Chemotherapy.
• Biologic therapy using interferon alfa.
• A clinical trial of a new treatment.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with chronic neutrophilic leukemia. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.

Treatment of chronic eosinophilic leukemia may include the following:

• Bone marrow transplant.
• Biologic therapy using interferon alfa.
• A clinical trial of a new treatment.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with chronic eosinophilic leukemia. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.