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Essential thrombocythemia

Overview

Essential thrombocythemia (throm-boe-sie-THEE-me-uh), also called primary thrombocythemia, is a stem cell disease. Your bone marrow produces stem cells, which include red and white blood cells as well as platelets needed for your blood to clot. Essential thrombocythemia causes the bone marrow to produce too many platelets and in some cases, too many white blood cells.

Although there isn't a cure for essential thrombocythemia, reducing the number of platelets can help some people who develop symptoms. Essential thrombocythemia is one of several myeloproliferative disorders — a group of diseases in which the bone marrow makes too many red or white blood cells or too many platelets.

Read more about essential thrombocythemia.

Why choose Mayo Clinic for essential thrombocythemia

  • Expertise and experience. Because essential thrombocythemia is uncommon, not all doctors are experienced in treating it. Mayo has developed a large essential thrombocythemia practice with highly experienced specialists. Mayo leads many international efforts for essential thrombocythemia and similar disorders, including roles in the national Myeloproliferative Disorders Research Consortium.
  • Team approach. Mayo Clinic is well known for its team approach to diagnosis and treatment. Your team of experts may include specialists in hematology, pathologists with special training in hematology (hematopathologists) and others as needed.
  • Newest technology and research. Mayo Clinic pioneered the development of innovative drugs to treat symptoms of essential thrombocythemia. Mayo also hosts conferences on myeloproliferative disorders, including essential thrombocythemia.

Mayo Clinic: Answers you can trust

At Mayo Clinic, we assemble a team of specialists who take the time to listen and thoroughly understand your health issues and concerns. We tailor the care you receive to your personal health care needs. You can trust our specialists to collaborate and offer you the best possible outcomes, safety and service.

Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit medical institution that reinvests all earnings into improving medical practice, research and education. We're constantly involved in innovation and medical research, finding solutions to improve your care and quality of life. Your doctor or someone on your medical team is likely involved in research related to your condition.

Our patients tell us that the quality of their interactions, our attention to detail and the efficiency of their visits mean health care — and trusted answers — like they've never experienced.

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