MDS: Is it cancer, pre-cancer or non-of the above

Posted on February 15, 2008 by David Austin

I found this interesting blog post on Myelodysplastic Syndromes.  It discusses whether MDS will always lead to cancer.  It has a lot of good information.

Primary MDS represents a family of diseases, most prevalent in those over the age of 50 to 60, that involve unwanted variations in the function of the bone marrow in its role as the storehouse and processing center of the stem cells that ultimately turn into blood cells. These MD syndromes are called primary because they do not develop after a patients has been treated aggressively for cancer by radiation or chemotherapy which are known to cause MDS as a secondary, or side-effect. Nor do primary MDS patients have a known long-term exposure to hematologically carcinogenic chemicals like benzene, which can bring on MDS and leukemia.

Source:  http://sla-divisions.typepad.com/dbio/2008/01/the-myelodyspla.html

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maggie - April 11, 2008 11:33 AM

My father was diagnosed with myleoplasma syndrome around 19mths ago he had blood tranfusions every 3 weeks, he was not offered any other treatment because of this age 77 years around 8 mths ago he saw his consultant and they said that he could go on for another 10 years.

around 5 weeks ago my father went into hospital with a hypo dure to his diabetes, he was retained in hospital for a further 3 weeks as he got MSRSA during this 3rd week blood tests were taken, nu father started to deterioate, and we were then told that he probrably on had months to live, my mother decided to bring dad home to care for him there with the help of nurses and carers he got home on Thursday 20/03/08 I saw him on 21/03/08 the last time I saw him in hospital was about 5 days. I was shocked how he looked he was on oxjen his eyes were closed, that day a nurse came in and gave him his diabetes injection, later that evening dad passed away he was only home for one day.

I am trying to get to grips on what happened to bring some sort of closure on this now, as he was buried yesterday. also is the disease herediatatroy there is myself and my brother do we need to get screening.

Thanks

Maggie

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