Polycythemia Extends Beyond Red Blood Cell Cancer

Polycythemia is a rare red blood cell cancer. The increase in RBC count causes several other effects, like metabolic dysfunction of the body, cardiac problems, and neurological problems affecting the overall body functioning.

What is Polycythemia?

It is a cancer of the red blood cells in which bone marrow starts to produce red blood cells in excess.

This causes serious complications, like thickening of the blood that interrupts blood flow.

Symptoms of Polycythemia

• Itchiness and vertigo

• Headache

• Swelling of the joint

• Reddish or purplish skin

• Numbness of hands and feet

• Unusual bleeding

• Pain in the bones

• Shortness of breath

• Trouble with breathing

• Bloating and pain in the upper abdomen

Complications Caused by Polycythemia Vera

Blood Clot – The excess blood cells, thickening the blood and forming clots due to abnormal clumping of platelets. The blood clots increase the risk of cardiac dysfunction, causing heart attacks, strokes, clots in the legs and lungs, causing a life-threatening condition.

Enlarged Spleen – The extra blood cells increase the load on the spleen to increases its surface area to filter more blood. The enlarged spleen causes many gastrointestinal problems, like pain under the ribs, a feeling of fullness after a small meal.

Peptic Ulcers – The abnormal blood cells increase the release of histamine, irritating the stomach lining, leading to ulceration. It leads to the formation of open sores on the intestinal and esophageal lining.

Gout and Kidney Stones – The increased metabolism of the excess red blood cells causes an increase in uric acid production, leading to the formation of gout and stones in the kidney.

It causes pain in the joints and also dark urine or blood in the urine.

Bleeding and Bruising – A small cut or injury leads to excessive blood flow due to an imbalance between platelet count and RBC count, as caused by excess RBC.

Other Blood Disorders – Polycythemia Vera, if untreated, lead to bone marrow scarring and progress to leukemia or Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS), producing infectious blood.

Diagnosis of Polycythemia Vera

Polycythemia is diagnosed through various processes and testing-

Blood Test – Total blood count or increased blood volume, low erythropoietin levels, and excess hemoglobin.

Bone Marrow Biopsy – Bone marrow tissue or the fluid is taken from the stem cells to examine the abnormal production of blood cells. It is used to diagnose various blood disorders like lymphoma, leukemia, anemia, etc.

Genetic Testing – DNA testing is done to identify various genetic mutations possible to cause Polycythemia.

Treatment of Polycythemia Vera

Blood Withdrawal – It is the manual removal of the extra blood formed in the body through a vein. It is done regularly, depending upon the severity of the disease.

The blood removal in polycythemia reduces various other complications, like stroke or blood clots.

Low-dose Aspirin – Sometimes low aspirin doses are given to reduce the risk of clotting and stroke.

Targeted Therapy – It includes the drugs that target the mutated genes.

Other Medications – They include medicines for symptomatic relief.

Like – Allopurinol for gout.

Antihistaminic drugs to reduce itching.

Medicines to Reduce Blood Formation

It includes chemotherapy drugs. They inhibit blood cell proliferation in the bone marrow.

Aprahydro (Hydroxyurea Capsules)

It is a widely used medicine for blood cancer.

It starts with a dose of 500mg twice a day.

It inhibits the enzyme that converts RNA to DNA.

It inhibits cancer cell propagation.

It is widely used in –

• Sickle Cell Anemia

• Myeloproliferative Disorders

Busulfan – It directly damages the cancer cell DNA, inhibiting cell proliferation. It is widely used in polycythemia Vera to reduce excessive blood count, in bone marrow transplant, and various other myeloproliferative disorders.

Interferon – It is widely used in young adults or childbearing women for polycythemia, myeloproliferative disorders (PV, ET, myelofibrosis), and other viral infections.

It enhances the immune system and targets the signaling pathway for cancer cell proliferation.

Ruxolitinib – It is used in various blood cancers, targeting the cancer cell proliferation pathway.

It decreases spleen size. It reduces blood cell formation.

Aprazer Healthcare – World Class Manufacturing Capacities

Aprazer Healthcare is the leading anticancer drug manufacturer, developing a range of effective anticancer solutions.

Reaching worldwide with effective, innovative solutions and targeted therapies, Aprazer Healthcare marked a leadership in oncology drug development and is the leading exporter of oncology medicines worldwide.

We are at the forefront in developing new drug molecules for effective cancer treatments.

We manufacture the widest range of affordable anticancer generics medicines.