Unlocking the Invisible: How AI Imagery Is Revolutionizing the Hunt for Rare Blood Cancer Clues You’ve Never Seen Before

When you think about someone battling a chronic disease, it’s easy to picture symptoms as loud and obvious — like a red flag waving in the wind. But here’s the kicker: for those dealing with rare conditions like myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), the real fight often happens in the shadows, unseen by the world. Imagine being so drained that even your favorite hobbies feel like a mountain to climb, or wrestling with brain fog that clouds your mood and muddles your connection with the people who matter most. Sound familiar? That’s the invisible war many with MPNs face daily — a rare group of blood cancers where the bone marrow rebels, throwing off your body’s inner workings. Folks often chalk these symptoms up to stress or just “getting older,” when in fact, they might be warning signs of something far more serious. Now, here’s a game-changer: Incyte, a powerhouse in biopharmaceuticals, is using generative AI to pull back the curtain on these hidden battles through The Unseen Journey initiative. By transforming patient stories into vivid, AI-crafted visuals, they’re giving a voice—and a face—to what’s often overlooked. Curious to see how cutting-edge technology is shining a light on the unseen struggles of MPNs? LEARN MORE

When you picture someone with a chronic disease, you might imagine obvious signs—the kind of symptoms you can’t miss. But for some people living with rare diseases, the hardest parts are often invisible to the outside world. Perhaps they’re so fatigued that they skip out on their favorite hobbies. Or maybe brain fog leaves them irritable, overwhelmed, and disconnected from loved ones.

That can be the case for those living with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), a group of rare, chronic blood cancers in which a person’s bone marrow does not function properly. Though the symptoms can vary depending on the type of MPN, they are difficult to assess and often mistaken for stress or aging when they could be a sign of disease progression, according to Blood Cancer United.

That’s why Incyte, a global biopharmaceutical company, created The Unseen Journey—an initiative that uses generative artificial intelligence (AI) to illuminate the hidden emotional and physical toll of MPNs. By turning the stories and experiences of MPN patients into powerful AI-generated visuals, the program brings to life the often-overlooked or misunderstood impact of MPN symptoms.

​​As an extension of The Unseen Journey, Incyte has now launched MPN VisualAIzer—a new AI-powered tool that transforms written descriptions of MPN symptoms into vivid, 360-degree imagery. MPN VisualAIzer offers people living with MPNs a creative way to visualize their hard-to-describe symptoms in a way words alone often can’t.

Here are two patients, Marilyn and Dave, telling their stories with the help of generative AI. To see their symptoms come to life, swipe the photos below to explore their symptoms.

What Are MPNs And Their Symptoms?

As depicted in Dave and Marilyn’s AI-generated imagery, MPNs can have wide-ranging symptoms that aren’t always obvious to the outside world, making people living with MPNs appear healthy on the outside.

According to research from Blood Cancer United, there are three primary MPNs:

• Polycythemia vera (PV) is the most prevalent and caused by the overproduction of red blood cells, which can cause the blood to thicken, potentially leading to blood clots.
• Myelofibrosis (MF) occurs when a person’s bone marrow cells develop and function improperly, which can cause scar tissue to form.
• Essential thrombocythemia (ET) occurs when a person’s bone marrow makes too many platelets, leading to blood clots and/or increased bleeding.

While MPNs can affect people at any age, they are more common in older adults. MPN symptoms can differ from person to person and are based on the type of MPN. If you notice any of the following symptoms or any changes, it is important to discuss them with your health care team:

• Abdominal pain or discomfort
• An early feeling of fullness
• Bone pain
• Brain fog
• Bruising or bleeding easily
• Day or night sweats
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Headache
• Inactivity
• Itching
• Unintentional weight loss

Visit TheUnseenJourney.com to explore MPN VisualAIzer and learn more the importance of tracking MPN symptoms and having regular conversations with your health care team.

Julia Sullivan, CPT, is a New York City-based writer, indoor rowing instructor, outdoor enthusiast, newbie powerlifter, and devoted cat mother. Her work has been published in Women’s Health, SELF, Health, Huffington Post, and more. She holds a B.A. in journalism and gender studies from Arizona State University and a personal training certificate from the American Council on Exercise. When she’s not covering the latest health and wellness trends, you can find her hitting the hiking trails, working toward her deadlift goal of 400 pounds, and forcefully hugging her cat, Jeeves, against his will.