One thousand patients with essential thrombocythemia: the Mayo Clinic experience

Blood Cancer J. 2024 Jan 18;14(1):11. doi: 10.1038/s41408-023-00972-x.

Abstract

We describe 1000 patients with essential thrombocythemia seen at the Mayo Clinic between 1967 and 2023: median age 58 years (18-90), females 63%, JAK2/CALR/MPL-mutated 62%/27%/3%, triple-negative (TN) 8%, extreme thrombocytosis (ExT; platelets ≥1000 × 109/L) 26%, leukocytosis (leukocyte count >11 × 109/L) 20%, and abnormal karyotype 6%. JAK2-mutated patients were older (median 71 years), and CALR mutated (52 years), and TN (50 years) younger (p < 0.01). Female gender clustered with TN (73%) and JAK2 (69%) vs. CALR/MPL (49%/47%) mutations (p < 0.01). ExT clustered with CALR (type-2 more than type-1) and TN and leukocytosis with JAK2 mutation (p < 0.01). In multivariable analysis, risk factors for overall survival were older age (p < 0.01), male gender (HR 1.8), absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 8 × 109/L (HR 1.6), absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) < 1.7 × 109/L (HR 1.5), hypertension (HR 1.7), and arterial thrombosis history (HR 1.7); for leukemia-free survival, ExT (HR 2.3) and abnormal karyotype (HR 3.1); for myelofibrosis-free survival, ANC ≥ 8 × 109/L (HR 2.3) and MPL mutation (HR 3.9); for arterial thrombosis-free survival, age ≥60 years (HR 1.9), male gender (HR 1.6), arterial thrombosis history (HR 1.7), hypertension (HR 1.7), and JAK2 mutation (HR 1.8); for venous thrombosis-free survival, male gender (HR 1.8) and venous thrombosis history (HR 3.0). Associations between ExT and leukemic transformation and between ANC and fibrotic progression were limited to JAK2-mutated cases. Aspirin therapy appeared to mitigate both arterial (HR 0.4) and venous (HR 0.4) thrombosis risk. HR-based risk models delineated patients with median survivals ranging from 10 years to not reached and 20-year leukemia/myelofibrosis incidences from 3%/21% to 12.8%/49%. The current study provides both novel and confirmatory observations of essential thrombocythemia.

MeSH terms

  • Abnormal Karyotype
  • Calreticulin / genetics
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypertension* / complications
  • Janus Kinase 2 / genetics
  • Leukocytosis / complications
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mutation
  • Primary Myelofibrosis* / genetics
  • Thrombocythemia, Essential* / complications
  • Thrombocythemia, Essential* / diagnosis
  • Thrombocythemia, Essential* / genetics
  • Thrombosis* / etiology
  • Thrombosis* / genetics

Substances

  • Janus Kinase 2
  • Calreticulin