A 67-year-old male was diagnosed with polycythemia vera (PV) but ...

[berenicecastro]

A 67-year-old male was diagnosed with polycythemia vera (PV) but refused treatment. His con-dition is at risk for converting to:
 
  a. chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
  b. Burkitt lymphoma.
  c. multiple myeloma.
  d. acute myeloid leukemia.

Question 2

A 70-year-old is brought to the emergency department, where he dies shortly thereafter. Autopsy reveals polycythemia vera (PV). His death was most likely the result of:
 
  a. acute renal failure.
  b. cerebral thrombosis.
  c. sepsis.
  d. acute leukemia.

[srodz]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: D
A significant potential outcome of PV is the conversion to acute myeloid leukemia (AML), oc-curring spontaneously in 10 of individuals and generally being resistant to conventional thera-py. Neither chronic lymphocytic leukemia, Burkitt lymphoma, nor multiple myeloma is a signifi-cant outcome of PV.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: B
Fifty percent of individuals with PV die within 18 months of the onset of initial symptoms be-cause of thrombosis or hemorrhage, not renal failure, not infection and sepsis, and not acute leu-kemia.