The marrow is then looked at under a microscope. The doctor can then tell what kind of disease the patient has and plan the best treatment. The diseases usually vary from person to person, often progressing slowly and requiring little treatment. In some people, the disease may turn into an acute leukemia, in which too many white blood cells are made. There is no staging for these diseases.
Treatment depends on the type of myeloproliferative disorder the patient has.
Treatment option overview 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.