The treatment of essential thrombocythaemia with radioactive phosphorus

The major complications of essential thrombocythaemia include haemorrhage and thrombosis, events which are related to the level of the abnormal platelet count. We report here on the use of radioactive phosphorus (32P) in eight patients with essential thrombocythaemia. Two patients required multiple injections of 32P to control platelet count, and there was no reduction in the rate of fall of platelets with each injection. Three patients required chemotherapy for persistent thrombocythaemia despite multiple doses of 32P. No clinical or haematological characteristics could be identified for those patients whose disease was difficult to control. Radioactive phosphorus is a safe and effective method to control platelet counts in patients with essential thrombocythaemia.