Hi Robertb,
I don't think you should get too excited about what your doctor said. Most patients with ET are elderly, I think you still have some time before you are considered that. I'm 33 and was diagnosed with ET over a year ago and my numbers have been fluctuating from 800,000 to 1.2 mil. My hematologist is great and very knowledgeable. He has me on Hydrea to keep things in check. Basically, the most severe problems that you could get if your platelets stay high for too long would be bleeding problems such as clots or not clotting at all due to malfunctioning platelets. As far as all the research I've done says, there is not a whole not to be done to change the outcome. And yes, technically, it is a blood cancer but not in the way that the word cancer is use usually. It just means that the cells are not working correctly but most of the side effects that you are going to get with this disease is going to be from whatever medication your doctor puts you on. Just be sure to keep an eye out for any symptoms that could possibly be a blood clot. If you want some more info, go to the Mayo Clinic website and just type in Essential and it should come up on the search. You can also find a whole lot of information under Myeloproliferative Disease (MPD) since ET is one of them, the worst being leukemia. There are also support groups for other people suffering from this disease. Don't get depressed. It is a very treatable disease. Go ahead and research it. Of all the MPDs, it's actually the best to get in my opinion. Take care and good luck. Happy researching.