Position：home

Polycythemia Vera Life Expectancy: 2023 Update

What is Polycythemia Vera?

Polycythemia vera (PV) is a rare blood cancer that causes your body to produce too many red blood cells. This can lead to a number of health problems, including:

Blood clots
Heart disease
Stroke
Leukemia

How Long Can You Live with Polycythemia Vera?

The average life expectancy for people with PV is about 20 years after diagnosis. However, this can vary depending on a number of factors, including:

The age at which you are diagnosed
The severity of your symptoms
How well you respond to treatment

Life Expectancy by Age at Diagnosis

The following table shows the average life expectancy for people with PV, based on their age at diagnosis:

Age at Diagnosis	Average Life Expectancy
40 or younger	25 years
41-50	20 years
51-60	15 years
61-70	10 years
71 or older	5 years

Life Expectancy by Symptom Severity

The severity of your symptoms can also affect your life expectancy. People with more severe symptoms tend to have a shorter life expectancy than those with less severe symptoms.

polycythemia vera life expectancy

The following table shows the average life expectancy for people with PV, based on the severity of their symptoms:

Polycythemia Vera Life Expectancy: 2023 Update

Symptom Severity	Average Life Expectancy
Mild	20 years
Moderate	15 years
Severe	10 years

Life Expectancy by Treatment Response

How well you respond to treatment can also affect your life expectancy. People who respond well to treatment tend to have a longer life expectancy than those who do not respond well to treatment.

The following table shows the average life expectancy for people with PV, based on their response to treatment:

What is Polycythemia Vera?

Treatment Response	Average Life Expectancy
Complete response	25 years
Partial response	20 years
No response	15 years

Tips for Living a Longer Life with Polycythemia Vera

There are a number of things you can do to improve your life expectancy with PV. These include:

Getting regular checkups
Following your doctor's treatment plan
Making healthy lifestyle choices
Avoiding smoking and alcohol
Eating a healthy diet
Getting regular exercise
Managing your stress

Conclusion

Living with polycythemia vera can be challenging, but there are a number of things you can do to improve your life expectancy. By following your doctor's treatment plan and making healthy lifestyle choices, you can live a long and fulfilling life with PV.