3 Leukemias, 1 Jak2 Mutation

More than 100,000 people in the US are affected by three separate types of leukemias — all of which were recently identified as sharing a single JAK2 (V617F) mutation.

The study found that the JAK2 (V617F) mutation is present in 75% of polycythemia vera (PV) patients, 32% of essential thrombocythemia (ET) patients, and 35% of patients afflicted with myeloid metaplasia with myelofibrosis (MMM). The findings were published in the March 2005 Cancer Cell.