Chemo Drugs for Myelodysplastic Syndrome

Myelodysplatic syndromes (MDS) is a group of diseases characterized by bone marrow that fails to make adequate amounts of normal blood cells. It's sometimes called preleukemia. Chemotherapy drugs are commonly used to treat the effects of MDS.

The Facts

• MDS comes in two main forms. Low-risk MDS progresses relatively slowly and can result in mild to moderate anemia (lack of red blood cells). High-risk MDS poses serious health risks, including potential development of leukemia.

Chemotherapy

• The chemotherapy drugs used to combat MDS are the same medications used to combat acute myelogenous leukemia. Common options include daunorubicin, cytarabine, mitoxantrone, thalidomide and idarubicin.

Combined Treatment

• High-dose chemotherapy is sometimes combined with stem cell transplantation. This technique is only practical for certain high-risk MDS patients.

Significance

• According to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, chemotherapy combined with stem cell transplantation is the only current treatment method that may potentially cure MDS.

Considerations

• In some individuals, chemotherapy used to treat other illnesses can actually cause MDS. When this occurs, the condition is called secondary MDS.