Myelodysplastic syndromes are a group of diseases where a person’s bone marrow fails to produce enough healthy blood cells, and instead produces immature blood cells called blasts.
Easy bruising or bleeding
Frequent infections
Pinhead-sized red spots on the skin (petechiae)
Fatigue
Paleness of skin
Shortness of breath
There are two main categories of MDS: lower-risk and higher-risk. The type of MDS an individual has is defined by the number of blasts that are in their bone marrow, which determines the severity. Blasts refer to abnormal immature white blood cells, and people with MDS have too many blasts in their bone marrow.
An individual is diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) when there are 20 or more blasts per 100 white blood cells in the bone marrow.
The following tests can be used to confirm a diagnosis of MDS:
Treatment and management options for MDS include:
MDS is a rare disease that requires more effective treatment options. To find these new treatments for MDS, further research is necessary.
Discover our featured study below. If the BEXMAB study is not right for you, there are approximately 360 MDS research studies that are actively recruiting participants. Visit ClinicalTrials.gov o find MDS research studies near you.
You may be eligible to participate in a study evaluating a new drug for individuals with higher-risk MDS, which aims to enhance the effectiveness of standard chemotherapy treatment.
Find an online community of fellow patients, caregivers, and advocates below
as well as some other general resources!
