myelopdsplasis

Question 1

define

Answer 1

Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) are a group of clonal hematopoietic stem cell disorders characterized by:
* Ineffective hematopoiesis (defective blood cell production).
* Cytopenias (low blood counts: anemia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia).
* Bone marrow dysplasia (abnormal maturation of blood cells).
* Increased risk of transformation to Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).

in easy words - haematopoitic stem cells are faulty and produce faulty blood cells called blasts - these die very quickly
as condition progresses, these take over the bone marrow reducing the amount of normal ones

Question 2

causes

Answer 2

primary - unknown
secondary - chemo or radiotherapy

Question 3

progression

Answer 3

remian stable or develop to AML when >20% blasts in bone marrow

Question 4

symtpoms

Answer 4

infections
easy bleeding
easy bruising
pale skin
dizziness
irritability

Question 5

diagnosis

Answer 5

FBC - dec in some of the types
peripheral blood smear- big oval shaped RBC + abnormal WBC and platelets
bone marrow aspiation and biopsy - inc cell count and displastic changed in all blood types

Question 6

treatment

Answer 6

depends on their risk of develpoing leukemia - international prognostic scoring system assesses this

lower risk - erythropoitic growth factors

higher risk - preventing leuk - azacidodine / decitabine
or
- bone marrow stem cell transplant