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The exact cause is unknown but there are some recognised risk factors, including:
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Symptoms
Initially there may be no symptoms, but gradually they relate to a lack of one (or all) of the cells produced by your bone marrow:
Unfortunately for around 30 per cent of people with MDS, the disease will progress to acute myeloid leukaemia (AML).
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Diagnosis
Diagnosis is made first by blood tests which show the typical pattern of a low count of one or more cell types. A bone marrow biopsy confirms the diagnosis.
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Treatment
Treatment decisions are made through a scoring system (IPSS or international prognostic scoring system) which takes into account the blood count, chromosomal (cytogenetic) findings and bone marrow count of blast cells (immature white blood cells).
Transfusions can help increase red cells and platelets, but white cell counts cannot be increased so simply. Transfusion is time-consuming and recurrent transfusion has its own risks including iron overload.
Prompt antibiotic use helps fight infection.
Drugs treatments include:
Eventually the only curative option is a bone marrow transplant.
- Chemotherapy and radiotherapy for cancers such as breast and lymphoma.
- Exposure to industrial chemicals such as benzene.
- Certain chromosome abnormalities that are more likely to cause MDS.
Top
Symptoms
Initially there may be no symptoms, but gradually they relate to a lack of one (or all) of the cells produced by your bone marrow:
- Low red cell count (anaemia) - commonly tiredness and weakness occur, due to a falling number of red cells and hence a low haemoglobin level.
- Low white cell count (neutropenia) - which leads to repeat infections.
- Low platelet count (thrombocytopaenia)- which causes unexplained bruising or bleeding or even haemorrhage as the platelets which prevent this fall in number.
Unfortunately for around 30 per cent of people with MDS, the disease will progress to acute myeloid leukaemia (AML).
Top
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is made first by blood tests which show the typical pattern of a low count of one or more cell types. A bone marrow biopsy confirms the diagnosis.
Top
Treatment
Treatment decisions are made through a scoring system (IPSS or international prognostic scoring system) which takes into account the blood count, chromosomal (cytogenetic) findings and bone marrow count of blast cells (immature white blood cells).
Transfusions can help increase red cells and platelets, but white cell counts cannot be increased so simply. Transfusion is time-consuming and recurrent transfusion has its own risks including iron overload.
Prompt antibiotic use helps fight infection.
Drugs treatments include:
- Erythropoietin (a hormone that controls red blood cell production) which stimulates the bone marrow blast cells to make new healthy red, white and platelet cells.
- New drug therapies such as azacitidine are developing which target the underlying biologic mechanisms, but funding for these drugs is often an issue.
Eventually the only curative option is a bone marrow transplant.