| Previously known as pre-leukemia, myelodyslastia | | | | and fatigue |
| syndrome is a haematological condition that is made | | | | * Thrombocytopenia - Increased vulnerability to |
| up of the inefficient red blood cell production and a | | | | bleeding |
| host of other health complications. A lot of people | | | | It is estimated that 50 percent of MDS-related |
| are unfamiliar with myelodysplastia syndrome's details, | | | | deaths occur as a result of infection or extensive |
| although most know about leukemia, which is | | | | bleeding. Researchers everywhere are still hard at |
| commonly the end-result of MDS. | | | | work in trying to find a cure for myelodysplastia |
| MDS is an affliction of the bone marrow stem cell, | | | | syndrome, and for now patients can only rely on the |
| which may result in ineffective and irregular blood | | | | treatments. It should be noted, though, that the type |
| production. This irregularity can result to irreversible | | | | of leukemia that develops from MDS is in particular |
| problems in the blood-forming cells. The illness takes a | | | | extremely resistant to different kinds of treatment. |
| course towards being chronic in most cases, and can | | | | Myelodysplastia Syndrome Detection |
| slowly worsen because of steady bone failure. | | | | Due to its common and general symptoms, MDS can |
| Research shows that an estimated 1/3 of the | | | | often be wrongly diagnosed, which is the reason why |
| patients who have MDS can develop acute | | | | doctors have to examine the blood film and do a full |
| myelogenous leukemia within a couple of years of | | | | blood count. These steps are necessary to eliminate |
| living with the condition. | | | | other possible causes of the symptoms, such as B12, |
| Myelodysplastia Syndrome Diagnosis | | | | HIV or hepatitis. Doctors also do chromosomal |
| According to researchers, the time of diagnosis for | | | | studies that require fresh specimens, inducing the live |
| the myelodysplastia syndrome is on the average, | | | | cells tested to magnify the chromosomal staining. |
| between 60 and 75 years old. This disorder is more | | | | Myelodysplastia Syndrome Origins |
| prevalent in males than in females, and is generally | | | | One of the known causes of MDS has to do with |
| rare in children. Although a lot of the symptoms can | | | | environmental factors, specifically the exposure |
| lead to the detection of this condition, these are | | | | radiation and to the toxic chemical benzene. |
| linked to other blood disorders; the symptoms are | | | | Secondary MDS can also arise in patients who |
| therefore not commonly linked to MDS until the later | | | | experience late toxicity, as a result of prolonged |
| stages. | | | | exposure to cancer treatments. It is now proven |
| Some of myelodyspastia syndrome's symptoms | | | | that MDS is a result of the bone marrow stem cell |
| include: | | | | mutations; however the abnormalities responsible for |
| * Neutropenia - An increased vulnerability to infection | | | | these mutations are yet to be fully understood. |
| * Anemia - Chronic shortness of breath, chest pain | | | | |