Myelofibrosis Disease

Myelofibrosis is a medical disorder that affects bone marrow, the material in bone responsible for producing blood cells. In some cases, myelofibrosis causes no symptoms in patients. In other cases, it leads to serious complications.

Identification

• Myelofibrosis occurs when the cells that develop into blood cells mutate. As cells replicate, the mutation spreads, and the ultimate effect is a reduced number of red blood cells.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of myelofibrosis include anemia, pain under the left side of the ribcage, pale skin, easy bruising or bleeding, night sweats, fever or frequent infection.

Complications

• Some patients with myelofibrosis need to have their spleen removed to decrease pressure in the blood vessels that surround the liver. In addition, myelofibrosis sometimes develops into a type of cancer of the blood and bone marrow called leukemia. It sometimes causes gout, extreme bone pain, compression of the spinal cord and seizures.

Diagnosis

• Doctors typically diagnose myelofibrosis through blood tests to check cell and platelet levels, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computer tomography (CT) scans and bone marrow biopsy.

Treatment

• Physicians employ a number of treatments for myelofibrosis, including blood transfusions, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation. Steroids combined with synthetic androgen hormones or the medication thalidomide are also effective in treating the disorder.