What is the estimated prevalence of Myeloproliferative Disorders (Myeloproliferative Neoplasms) in the USA?

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Prevalence of Myeloproliferative Neoplasms in the United States

Approximately 295,000 people in the United States have Philadelphia chromosome-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), with polycythemia vera (PV) affecting about 148,000 individuals, essential thrombocythemia (ET) affecting 134,000, and myelofibrosis (MF) affecting 13,000. 1

Breakdown by Disease Subtype

The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines provide the most authoritative prevalence estimates for the three major Philadelphia chromosome-negative MPNs:

  • Polycythemia Vera (PV): 148,000 cases 1
  • Essential Thrombocythemia (ET): 134,000 cases 1
  • Myelofibrosis (MF): 13,000 cases 1

These figures represent the total number of living patients with these conditions in the United States, not annual incidence rates. 1

Supporting Epidemiological Data

Independent research corroborates these prevalence estimates with additional granularity:

  • PV prevalence: 44-57 per 100,000 population 2
  • ET prevalence: 38-57 per 100,000 population 2
  • MF prevalence: 4-6 per 100,000 population 2
  • Post-PV MF: 0.3-0.7 per 100,000 population 2
  • Post-ET MF: 0.5-1.1 per 100,000 population 2

The annual incidence of primary myelofibrosis is approximately 1 per 100,000 person-years, which remained stable between 2008-2010. 2

Important Clinical Context

PV and ET are substantially more common than MF, with prevalence rates approximately 10-fold higher. 2 This distribution has important implications for healthcare resource allocation and clinical trial recruitment. 2

The median age at diagnosis ranges from 65-74 years for PV, 64-73 years for ET, and 69-76 years for PMF, with less than 10% of patients diagnosed before age 40. 1 Male patients are affected more frequently than females across all MPN subtypes. 3, 4

Geographic and Demographic Variations

The reported annual incidence rates in Europe are 0.4-2.8 per 100,000 for PV, 0.38-1.7 per 100,000 for ET, and 0.1-1 per 100,000 for PMF. 1 These ranges reflect genuine racial and geographic differences as well as variations in diagnostic criteria and reporting methods. 1

References

1
Guideline

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Dr.Oracle Medical Advisory Board & Editors, 2025

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This information is intended for healthcare professionals. Any medical decision-making should rely on clinical judgment and independently verified information. The content provided herein does not replace professional discretion and should be considered supplementary to established clinical guidelines. Healthcare providers should verify all information against primary literature and current practice standards before application in patient care. Dr.Oracle assumes no liability for clinical decisions based on this content.

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