Secondary polycythemia is not classified as a myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN). It's caused by external factors — like low oxygen levels — that trigger the body to produce more red blood cells. It's a reaction, not a bone marrow disorder.
The classic MPNs are:
- Polycythemia Vera (PV) — overproduction of red blood cells Show Full Answer
Secondary polycythemia is not classified as a myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN). It's caused by external factors — like low oxygen levels — that trigger the body to produce more red blood cells. It's a reaction, not a bone marrow disorder.
The classic MPNs are:
- Polycythemia Vera (PV) — overproduction of red blood cells due to a bone marrow mutation
- Essential Thrombocythemia (ET) — overproduction of platelets
- Primary Myelofibrosis (PMF) — scarring of the bone marrow
The key difference is that true MPNs, like PV, are driven by genetic mutations in the bone marrow — most commonly the JAK2 mutation — rather than an outside cause.
If there's any uncertainty about a diagnosis, it's always worth having a detailed conversation with a hematologist who specializes in MPNs. They can run the right tests to confirm what's going on.
May 4
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