Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a cancer of the blood that can have a strong impact on the red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Research continues to be done on the illness and doctors are now better fine tuning the risk factors that are associated with myelodysplastic syndrome

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Among the most common risk factors that have been discovered are smoking, environmental exposures, cancer treatments and congenital diseases. In some cases, people have developed MDS with no apparent causes able to be linked; however, in the majority of cases, these risk factors have been associated with myelodysplastic syndrome.

A Detailed Look at Myelodysplastic Syndrome Risk Factors

Smoking- Researchers have concluded that the only lifestyle-related myelodysplastic syndrome risk factor is smoking. Although it’s old news that smoking is responsible for many types of cancer, including mouth, throat and lung cancer, not many realize that it can affect cells that don’t come into direct contact with smoke. 


Environmental Exposures: Environmental risk factors, most notably exposure to benzene, have been found to be the cause of MDS in many cases. When people are exposed over an extended period of time to benzene and other toxic chemicals, their chances of developing MDS and other life-altering diseases are increased.

Cancer Treatment: Cancer patients who have been treated with certain chemotherapy drugs have been found to be more likely to develop MDS. And combining these medications with radiation therapy only increases this risk further.

Congenital Diseases: Fanconi anemia is an inherited disorder that’s associated with an increased risk of developing leukemia or MDS as a child or young adult.

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