National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Chronic myeloproliferative disorders

Chronic myeloproliferative disorders are a group of slow-growing blood cancers in which the bone marrow makes too many abnormal red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets, which accumulate in the blood. The type of myeloproliferative disorder is based on whether too many red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets are being made. Sometimes the body will make too many of more than one type of blood cell, but usually one type of blood cell is affected more than the others.[1]

There are 6 types of chronic myeloproliferative disorders: chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), polycythemia vera, primary myelofibrosis (also called chronic idiopathic myelofibrosis), essential thrombocythemia, chronic neutrophilic leukemia, and chronic eosinophilic leukemia. Chronic myeloproliferative disorders sometimes become acute leukemia, in which too many abnormal white blood cells are made.[1]
Last updated: 3/14/2017

The resources below provide information about treatment options for this condition. If you have questions about which treatment is right for you, talk to your healthcare professional.

Management Guidelines

  • The NORD Physician Guide for Chronic myeloproliferative disorders was developed as a free service of the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) and it's medical advisors.  The guides provide a resource for clinicians about specific rare disorders to facilitate diagnosis and treatment of their patients with this condition. 

FDA-Approved Treatments

The medication(s) listed below have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as orphan products for treatment of this condition. Learn more orphan products.

  • Imatinib mesylate (Brand name: Gleevec®) - Manufactured by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp.
    FDA-approved indication: Treatment of adult patients with myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative diseases (MDS/MPD) associated with PDGFR (platelet-derived growth factor receptor)
    National Library of Medicine Drug Information Portal

Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

  • ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are related to Chronic myeloproliferative disorders. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.

    Please note: Studies listed on the ClinicalTrials.gov website are listed for informational purposes only; being listed does not reflect an endorsement by GARD or the NIH. We strongly recommend that you talk with a trusted healthcare provider before choosing to participate in any clinical study.

Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Supporting this Disease

Organizations Providing General Support

Living with a genetic or rare disease can impact the daily lives of patients and families. These resources can help families navigate various aspects of living with a rare disease.

Financial Resources

  • Patient Access Network Foundation (PAN Foundation) has Assistance Programs for those with health insurance who reside in the United States. The disease fund status can change over time, so you may need to check back if funds are not currently available. 

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

  • The National Cancer Institute provides the most current information on cancer for patients, health professionals, and the general public.

In-Depth Information

  • Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Chronic myeloproliferative disorders. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know.

  1. General Information About Chronic Myeloproliferative Neoplasms. National Cancer Institute. August 5, 2016; https://www.cancer.gov/types/myeloproliferative/patient/chronic-treatment-pdq.