Myelodysplastic syndromes, or MDS, is a group of diseases in which the
bone marrow does not make enough healthy blood cells. Also called preleukemia
and smoldering leukemia. When you have MDS, your bone marrow doesn’t
totally stop working, it still makes blood cells. It makes fewer cells,
and the cells it does make don’t always work right.
The cause of MDS is unknown in about 70-80 out of 100 people who have it.
In the other 20-30 people who have MDS, it may be caused by treatment
for another disease. MDS is more common in smokers and is more common
in people who have spent time around or worked with chemicals like benzene.
It is also more common in those 60 years or older and is rare in young people.
Some of the symptoms of MDS are fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath,
bruising easily, bleeding for no reason, and frequent infections. Symptoms
of MDS can be managed by blood transfusions, antibiotics to help or control
infection and growth factors that help healthy or normal cells make more cells.
Tests that are done to determine if you have MDS are blood tests and bone
marrow biopsy. Once diagnosis is confirmed the doctor will go over treatment
options with you. Options for treatment may consist of demethylating agents
to help bone marrow make blood cells normally, immunosuppressive drug
therapy to help make blood cells more slowly, chemotherapy, bone marrow
transplant, and/or stem cell transplant. A treatment plan that is best
for you will be decided upon by you and your healthcare team.
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