Myeloproliferative disorders are a group of diseases in which the bone marrow makes too many red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets.
Bone Marrow usually produces bloodstem cell (immature cells) that develop into mature blood cells over time. A bloodstem cell may become a myeloid stem cell or a lymphoid stem cell. The lymphoid stem cell develops into a white blood cell. The myeloid stem cell develops into one of three types of mature blood cells, red blood cells, white blood cells or plateletes.
In myeloproliferative disorders too many blood stem cells develop into one or more types of blood cells. The disorders usually get worse slowly as the number of extra blood cells increases.
Although they are not associated with neoplastic tissues, like other cancers, myeloproliferative disorders are classified within blood cancers.
Common symptoms associated with Myeloproliferative disorders include
Lethargy
Weakness
Anemia
Recurrent infections
Pale mucous membranes
Weight loss
Enlargement of liver and spleen