ASH 2021-- White Blood Counts Key to Managing Thrombotic Events in Polycythemia Vera

[EPguy]

Another post there.

cancernetwork.com/view/whit...

<<there was an association between elevated blood counts and thrombotic events, particularly a white blood cell count over 11 in all patients>> This has been shown before, but this seems to be a deeper study.

<<We should be moving beyond the conventional risk models, and start to include additional factors—whether we're talking about blood counts, allele burdens, even lymphocyte counts, perhaps—to make better models to predict thrombosis>> I agree, esp about allele, but we know it's "complicated".

[gvibes]

ETguy, Thanks for the information (again) - depth of understanding of these things is so important. Curious if they came up with a reason why high white counts caused thrombotic events. Is it related to viscosity of blood or something else? I skimmed the paper but couldnt figure this out. Did you see a reason?

thanks

[EPguy in reply to gvibes]

Like so much with MPN, the Why is weak in my readings on WBC vs PV. Same for INF, its details of action are not that well understood. Good thing is we at least can control WBC etc even if how that control works, or why we need to, is still being studied.

There are few rationally designed drugs for MPN, Rux is one I believe, which followed the discovery of JAK2 mutation. Bomedemstat in trials is another. Many of the recent "whys" are resulting from deeper genetic understandings that are only in the last few years getting ripe.

[Meatloaf9]

Thanks for posting this and all the information you keep us appraised of. Glad to see that my MPN specialist, Aaron Gerds, is keeping busy on the MPN front. Again, thanks for all the articles you post and the links to those articles.

[Bluetop]

Thanks for posting this -much appreciated.