Therefore, in a patient with acquired erythrocytosis, it is reasonable to begin the diagnostic work-up with JAK2 mutation analysis to distinguish PV from secondary erythrocytosis.
Therefore, in a patient with acquired erythrocytosis, it is reasonable to begin the diagnostic work-up with peripheral blood JAK2 mutation analysis and serum Epo measurement to distinguish PV from secondary erythrocytosis.
Therefore, current diagnostic work-up for acquired polycythemia should start with peripheral blood JAK2 mutation screening, whereas VHL and/or EPOR mutations should be considered when CP is suspected.
However, until the recent description of the constitutively activating V617F point mutation of the Janus 2 tyrosine kinase (JAK2)--a high-frequency molecular marker that is extremely specific for clonal chronic myeloproliferative disorders--distinction of PV from secondary erythrocytosis or other conditions has often been difficult.