Platelet-associated hypercoagulability in patients with Essential Thrombocythemia and Polycythemia Vera

Thrombosis is a frequent complication in patients with cancer. In patients with hematological malignancies, such as Essential Thrombocythemia (ET) and Polycythemia Vera (PV), thrombotic events are a major cause of increased morbidity and mortality. The pathogenesis of the activation of blood coagulation in these patients is complex. Platelets have an important role in this process. This thesis presents studies exploring the platelet-associated hypercoagulability in patients with ET and PV. The acquired JAK2V617F mutation, which has been reported in nearly all patients with PV and in more than half of patients with ET has been associated with severity of disease and increased expression of soluble or cellular biomarkers of clotting system activation. This thesis confirmed a hypercoagulable state in patients positive for the JAK2V617F mutation, associated with the highest thrombin generation values.