Explaining Myeloproliferative Neoplasm Disease Progression to Patients

What is the best way to explain disease progression to myeloproliferative neoplasm patients? MPN experts Dr. Gabriela Hobbs and Natasha Johnson share advice on how they work with patients and families to clearly explain disease progression.

Dr. Gabriela Hobbs is a hematology-oncology physician specializing in the care of patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN), chronic myeloid leukemia, and leukemia. Dr. Hobbs serves as clinical director of the adult leukemia service at Massachusetts General Hospital and is an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School.

Natasha Johnson, is an Advanced Oncology Nurse Practitioner at Moffitt Cancer Center, where she cares for people living with MPNs with kindness, patience, and humanity. Natasha also speaks at conferences to educate other healthcare professionals about MPN care, research, and treatment.

[CityGirl_InTheCountry]

I think one of the reasons patients with MPN have anxiety about progression is because so many hem/onc’s don’t discuss the possibility, especially right after diagnosis. We read about it later online or see videos like this one, but most hem/onc physicians who don’t specialize in MPN never tell us it’s a possibility. At least that’s been my experience 7 years in.