Alphabet Soup – Abbreviations for new patients

Sometimes, all of the abbreviations that doctors and patients use can be confusing and overwhelming.  I’ll try to list as many as I can think of, to help new patients make a little more sense of all of the info that they need to absorb.

If any readers can think of an abbreviation that they think would be helpful to list, leave me a note in the Comments and I’ll add it.  Likewise, if anyone has heard an abbreviation that they are not sure of the meaning for, list it and I will do my best to find it out for you .

WHO – World Health Organization

MPD – Myeloproliferative Disorder

MPN – Myeloproliferative Neoplasm

CMPD (or CMD) – Chronic Myeloproliferative Disorder

ET – Essential Thrombocythemia (also Essential Thrombocytosis)

PV – Polycythemia Vera

CML – Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

MF – Myelofibrosis

PMF – Primary Myelofibrosis

RBC – Red Blood Cells

WBC – White Blood Cells

CBC – Complete Blood Count

Hem – Hematologist

Onc – Oncologist

HU – Hydroxyurea (also Hydrea)

AG – Anagrelide

IFN – Interferon Alpha

PEG – Pegylated Interferon Alpha.  The name comes from the use of Polyethylene Glycol, a molecule sometimes used with Interferon.  The brand name is Pegasys.

JAK2 - Janus kinase 2

BMB – Bone Marrow Biopsy