What is MDS Disease?

Disorders that affect the bone marrow belong to a group of diseases known as myelodysplastic syndromes or MDS, also called myelodysplasia. The bone marrow of patients with MDS fails to produce the required amount of blood cells.

Significance

• MDs is considered a preleukemia condition because some forms of MDS can develop into acute myeloid leukemia, which is the most common type of blood cancer in adults.

Symptoms

• The signs and symptoms of a low blood cell count caused by MDS include fatigue, weakness, breathlessness, paleness, frequent bruising and bleeding, weight loss, and recurring infections.

Types

• MDS occurs when the bone marrow fails to function properly. The cause of most types of MDS is unknown. If the cause is unknown, the condition is called primary or de novo MDS.

Risk Factors

• Secondary MDS are syndromes that have a known cause. According to the Mayo Clinic, risk factors that may cause secondary MDS include exposure to chemical toxins such as benzene in cigarette smoke, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.

Treatment

• Treatments and drugs used for the treatment of MDS include blood transfusion, chemotherapy, stem cell transplantation, bone marrow transplantation, hematopoietic growth factors, and differentiation agents.