inherited

[Birdlady2021]

Hello all can MpN be inherited , reason I had my late Father , did not have enough platelets and attended hospital what I thought was a drip or for transfusion I am Jak2 positive my brother who lived nearer to my parents and my Dad did not want myself and sister to know a lot we are worriers my son asked me if it was genetic?

[hunter5582]

The three driver mutations that cause MPNs, JAK2 - CALR - MPL, are all acquired (somatic) mutations that are not germline (inherited). While there are some types of thrombocytosis and erythrocytosis that can be directly inherited, this is very rare and not the same thing as the driver mutations that cause the three classic MPNs (ET, PV, MF).

The MPN driver mutations are acquired at some point after conception. There is evidence that the JAK2 mutation can be acquired very early in life, sometimes in utero. It can take decades for the disease to manifest. It is not well understood what triggers the disease to manifest, but it it likely a combination of environmental, genetic and other factors. There are also some people who carry the mutation without manifesting a MPN, a condition known as Clonal Hematopoiesis of Indeterminate Potential (CHIP).

It is known that MPNs and other blood cancers can cluster in families, a phenomena known as Familial MPNs. This may occur in up to 10% of MPN cases. It is thought that the predisposition to acquire the JAK2 mutation may be inherited via the JAK2 46/1 GGCC predisposing haplotype, which can be inherited. This is an area of active research.

My family is participating in a familial MPN study. My daughter and I are both positive for JAK2v617f. We are also both positive for the JAK2 haplotype. I have PV that progressed from ET. She has ET and may be progressing to PV. In addition, I have two brothers who both have been diagnosed with lymphomas. There is also a family history of lymphomas.

Based on what is in the literature and my family's experience, I think that MPNs and other blood cancers can cluster in families. It is important for us to better understand why this happens. That is why it is so important for us to advocate for research into this issue. Part of our advocacy is also to participate in research when we can.

Wishing you and your family all the best.

[rcan_sMF]

Hi. Whilst it is possible, the geneticists who study MPN’s will tell you that inheritance of any MPN is very rare. Here in the U.S., only about 25,000 people out of a 330,000,000 population are diagnosed with an MPN - and even less than with MF.

Were it heritable in any significant way those numbers would be substantially higher. Last, even if it presents, whilst it remains incurable as of now, treatments and clinical trials are improving life expectancies.

I write all this not to upset you , of course, but, rather to reassure you that inheritance is extremely rare. Hope this helps.

[nellietheelephamt]

Both my maternal grandfather and my mother had/have erythrocytosis.

If not inherited it could be from environmental factors common to the family.

[RietFontein]

I am in no ways qualified to express an opinion on MpN/inherited: I can only tell you about what I now found (from many years ago)- also, I believe that the quality of testing and diagnoses were lacking at the time (40 - 50 years ago). My dad's older sister died of a blood cancer, her son (my cousin) died of (what they called at the time!) Leukemia, my own dad died of a blood cancer 18 years ago. Two years ago I developed high platelets and after biopsy was diagnosed with chronic myeloproliferative disease. Just coinsidence?