Myelodysplasia

Question 1

What is myelodysplasia?

Answer 1

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of cancers in which immature blood cells in the bone marrow do not mature and therefore do not become healthy blood cells.

Question 2

What are the risk factors of myelodysplasia?

Answer 2

Older age. Most people with myelodysplastic syndromes are older than 60.
Treatment with chemotherapy or radiation.
Exposure to certain chemicals.
Exposure to heavy metals.

Question 3

What are the signs and symptoms of myelodysplasia?

Answer 3

Fatigue.
Weakness.
Easy bruising or bleeding.
Fever.
Bone pain.
Shortness of breath.
Frequent infections

Question 4

What investigations do you do for myelodysplasia?

Answer 4

Bloods (FBC)- pancytopenia
Bone marrow biopsy/ aspirate- Abnormal looking cells
Flow cytometry
Cytogenetic/ histochemistry/ molecular studies

Question 5

What is the epidemiology of myelodysplasia?

Answer 5

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) comprise a heterogeneous group of clonal hematopoietic stem cell malignancies with significant morbidity and high mortality. The incidence of MDS increases markedly with age, and the disease is most prevalent in individuals who are white and male.