Final answer:
The incorrect statement about polycythemia vera (PV) is that erythropoietin levels are increased in PV, as they are usually normal or decreased. Other symptoms like splenomegaly, pruritus, and hyperuricemia are common, and PV can progress to other hematological neoplasms.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement regarding polycythemia vera (PV) that is not true is that erythropoietin levels are increased in PV. In patients with PV, erythropoietin levels are usually normal or decreased, not increased, because the production of red blood cells is independent of erythropoietin regulation due to a mutation in the bone marrow cells.
Polycythemia vera is a bone marrow disease that leads to an abnormal increase in the number of blood cells, primarily red blood cells, which can result in increased blood viscosity and risk of blood clots. Splenomegaly (enlarged spleen), pruritus (itching), and hyperuricemia (high levels of uric acid) are common symptoms associated with PV.
Moreover, PV can progress to other hematological neoplasms, such as myelofibrosis, or transform into acute leukemia. PV typically presents more often in men over the age of 60.