essential-thrombocythaemia

Essential thrombocythaemia is a slow blood cancer in which the marrow makes too many platelets. Most people need only aspirin and monitoring; those at higher risk of clots take a drug to lower the platelet count, usually hydroxyurea or interferon, with anagrelide in reserve.

MAJIC-ET found that ruxolitinib was no better than the usual second-line drugs at controlling platelets in ET, although it eased itching and other symptoms.

PT-1 is the trial that made hydroxyurea the first-line drug in high-risk ET: anagrelide gave more arterial clots, more serious bleeding and more progression to myelofibrosis.