Treatment of Polycythemia Vera

For information about the treatments listed below, see the Treatment Option Overview section.

The purpose of treatment for polycythemia vera is to reduce the number of extra blood cells. Treatment of polycythemia vera may include the following:

• Phlebotomy.
• Chemotherapy with or without phlebotomy. If the chemotherapy does not work, targeted therapy (ruxolitinib) may be given.
• Immunotherapy (interferon alfa or pegylated interferon alpha).
• Low-dose aspirin.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.