Topics:
Myeloproliferative Neoplasms • Hematology
For patients with a JAK2 positive myeloproliferative neoplasm, do you always perform a bone marrow biopsy at diagnosis?
Despite distinguishing between the three MPNs, results may not change management. There is controversy over whether to follow WHO criteria for diagnosis.
Answer from: Medical Oncologist at Academic Institution
A bone marrow biopsy is very helpful at diagnosis for patients with MPN as it can clearly establish a diagnosis. Although many times we can guess a diagnosis by looking at peripheral blood counts, we can often miss pre-MF or overt MF without a bone marrow biopsy. For young patients especially, a bon...
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Answer from: at Academic Institution
I agree with Dr. @Hobbs. Bone marrow biopsy can be very helpful for many reasons. In myelofibrosis, it is critical to get the information regarding the degree of fibrosis and blast percentage. For patients with PV, it is good to obtain a baseline. Finally, for patients with thrombocytosis, it is imp...