How myeloproliferative disorders are treated There are treatments for all patients with myeloproliferative disorders. Usually the diseases cannot be cured, but the symptoms can be controlled and the number of blood cells can be reduced with treatment. Sometimes there are few symptoms and no treatment is needed.
Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill extra blood cells in the body.
Chemotherapy may be taken by pill, or it may be put into the body by a needle in the vein or muscle. Chemotherapy is called a systemic treatment because the drug enters the bloodstream, travels through the body, and can kill cells throughout the body. Phlebotomy is taking blood from the body by a needle in a vein. This treatment is used in polycythemia vera to lower the amount of blood in the body. Sometimes a special machine is used to filter platelets from the blood.