Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) are a group of diseases that affect blood-cell formation. With MPN, a bone marrow problem leads to more blood cells circulating in your bloodstream.
Fred Hutch Cancer Center experts offer comprehensive care for MPN, including advanced treatments. Many MPN patients join clinical trials, which are led by world-renowned physicians, so they can get promising therapies that are not available anywhere else.
Fred Hutch: A Leader in MPN Treatment
Fred Hutch is recognized as a Center of Excellence by the Myelodysplastic Syndromes Foundation for the diagnosis and treatment of MPN. Our experts are also leaders in research who focus on studying these diseases.
Your First Appointment
From the first time you come to see us, your MPN team will begin getting to know you and your family. What are your questions? What are your concerns?
At your first appointment, your hematologist-oncologist will also explain your disease. They will tell you how it’s treated and which tests you need to help plan your individual care. Before you leave, your team makes sure you understand the next steps.
Learn About MPN
Part of diagnosis is finding out exactly which type of MPN you have. We will check this and other details about your disease so we can provide the right treatment for you.
To check your MPN diagnosis and find out the subtype, your physician will do a complete physical exam and ask about your health history and any symptoms.
Treatment for MPN
You are unique, and your care team will design a treatment plan specifically for — and with — you.
At Fred Hutch, physicians with knowledge and experience in MPN will plan and provide your care. Our experts offer comprehensive care for MPN, including advanced treatments and new options that are only available through clinical studies.
MPN Care Team
At Fred Hutch, a team of dedicated people surrounds you and your family to give you the highest level of care and support.
You are the most important person on your care team. Our patients are at the center of everything we do
Our Approach to Treatment
The safest, most effective and most widely accepted therapies for cancer are known as the “standard of care.” For many patients, these therapies will be a large part of their treatment. At Fred Hutch, we provide all standard therapies for MPN. We know how to choose the right ones for you and how to deliver them to give you the best chance at a full recovery.
Our physicians and researchers are always asking how we can make MPN treatments more effective and reduce side effects as much as possible. This is why we do clinical trials (also called clinical studies). Through these studies, we are able to offer you therapies that aren’t offered everywhere. A therapy that is going through trials today may become the new standard of care tomorrow.
Along with treating your illness, a group of world-class professionals is here to support you. This team includes nurses, dietitians, physical therapists, social workers and psychologists. We also include supportive care services for your physical, mental and emotional well-being.
Role of the Caregiver
When someone close to you is diagnosed with MPN, you might step into the role of caregiver. Being a caregiver can mean many things, from lending a hand with daily living tasks to helping with medical decisions. It can also mean dealing with your own emotions and stress.
At Fred Hutch, caregivers are valuable members of a patient’s care team. We see every day that your presence and your support make a difference. We know that what your friend or family member is going through affects you, too.
Part of our mission is to help you take care of yourself. Caring for yourself is good for your physical, mental, spiritual and emotional health. It also helps you give your best to your loved one. Our social workers, Spiritual Health team and Patient and Family Resource Center staff are here to help support you.
Latest Treatments and Clinical Trials
Physicians and scientists from Fred Hutch and UW Medicine are testing new treatments for MPN subtypes and finding new ways to use current treatments.
Through this work, we are looking for answers to two main questions: How can we do even better at controlling or curing MPN? How can we make treatments less toxic and easier on patients?
We have clinical trials for all subtypes of MPN, from early to advanced. Some of the therapies we are studying are:
- Chemotherapy regimens
- Antibody therapies and other targeted therapies
- Immunotherapies, including cellular immunotherapies and checkpoint inhibitors
When your care team makes your treatment plan, they will give you the choice to join clinical trials that match your situation. If you decide to join one, you will see the same physicians and nurses as you would for standard therapy.
Your care team will talk with you about if you might want to join a study and why. This can help you make the decision that is best for you.
Hematologic Malignancy Genetics Clinic
If your physicians decide there is a genetic part of your disease, our experts offer personalized care to test your family members who might have the same genetic risks, monitor their health and reduce their risk. This unique approach, which focuses directly on hematologic malignancies, is found only at Fred Hutch.
