Myelodysplasia (MDS)
Myelodysplasia (MDS): Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Future Outlook.: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Future Outlook.
Disclaimer:
This blog is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. Content is sourced from third parties, and we do not guarantee accuracy or accept any liability for its use. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical guidance.
What is Myelodysplasia (MDS)?
Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) are a group of bone marrow disorders where stem cells produce dysfunctional blood cells, leading to cytopenias (low counts). Subtypes include refractory anemia, multilineage dysplasia, del(5q). In 2025, ~10,000-20,000 US cases, median age 70, more in men.
Symptoms
Symptoms from cytopenias: fatigue/paleness (anemia, 80%), infections (neutropenia), bleeding/bruising (thrombocytopenia). Advanced causes weight loss, splenomegaly. Many asymptomatic early.
Causes
Causes include genetic mutations (e.g., SF3B1, TET2), prior chemo/radiation (therapy-related, 10%), benzene, smoking. Age and male gender increase risk. In 2025, epigenetics key in progression to AML (20-30%).
Diagnosis
Diagnosis uses CBC showing cytopenias/dysplasia, bone marrow biopsy (blast count <20%), cytogenetics (del(5q), trisomy 8), and NGS for mutations. IPSS-R scores risk. In 2025, AI analyzes marrow smears.
Treatment
Supportive: transfusions, growth factors (erythropoietin). Low-risk uses lenalidomide (del(5q)). High-risk: hypomethylating agents (azacitidine), chemo, SCT (curative in 40-50%). In 2025, luspatercept reduces transfusions.
Future Outlook
In 2025, median survival 3-5 years, varying by risk (8 years low, 1 year high). Targeted therapies improve high-risk to 2 years. By 2030, gene therapies could extend to 7 years.
Sources
Mayo Clinic’s “Myelodysplastic syndromes – Symptoms and causes” for symptoms; Cleveland Clinic’s “Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS): Symptoms & Treatment” for treatment; NCI’s “Myelodysplastic Syndromes Treatment” for prognosis; PMC’s “Myelodysplastic Syndromes: Update on Diagnosis and Treatment” for updates; OncoDaily’s “Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS): Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment” for details; Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s “Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS)” for overview; Cancer Research UK’s “Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)” for research; American Cancer Society’s “Myelodysplastic Syndromes” for statistics; WebMD’s “Myelodysplastic Syndrome” for symptoms; Healthline’s “Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS): Causes, Symptoms, Treatment” for causes.