Difference Between MDS and Leukemia

1. Is MDS the same as leukemia?
2. How long before MDS turns into leukemia?
3. What happens when MDS turns into leukemia?
4. What is the difference between MDS and AML?
5. What is the best treatment for MDS?
6. Can you live a normal life with MDS?
7. How do MDS patients die?
8. How quickly does MDS progress?
9. What is the survival rate for myelodysplastic syndrome?
10. What is considered high risk MDS?
11. How serious is myelodysplastic syndrome?
12. Do you lose weight with MDS?

Is MDS the same as leukemia?

In the past, MDS was sometimes referred to as pre-leukemia or smoldering leukemia. Because most patients do not get leukemia, MDS used to be classified as a disease of low malignant potential. Now that doctors have learned more about MDS, it is considered to be a form of cancer.

How long before MDS turns into leukemia?

Results: During the course of this study, over the past eight years and seven months, 21 (13.91%) of 151 MDS patients progressed to overt leukemia, with a median interval of 5 (1 - 23) months.

What happens when MDS turns into leukemia?

In MDS, some cells in the bone marrow don't grow like they should, so there aren't enough of some types of blood cells. This makes it hard for the body to work the way it should. Some people with MDS go on to get leukemia, a cancer of the bone marrow in which blood cells start to grow out of control.

What is the difference between MDS and AML?

MDS can be considered a premalignant disease that affects myeloid cells, whereas AML is an aggressive and fatal blood cancer characterized by massive accumulation of malignant blasts in bone marrow and blood.

What is the best treatment for MDS?

Both azacitidine and decitabine are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat all types of MDS. However, these drugs are used most often for patients with higher IPSS-R scores. Both can be given in the doctor's office or clinic.

Can you live a normal life with MDS?

With current treatments, patients with lower-risk types of some MDS can live for 5 years or even longer. Patients with higher-risk MDS that becomes acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are likely to have a shorter life span. About 30 out of 100 MDS patients will develop AML.

How do MDS patients die?

As the U.S. population continues to age, the number of people diagnosed with MDS each year is likely to increase. Death from MDS is often caused by bleeding and/or infection from low blood cell counts or after the disease becomes acute myeloid leukemia (AML). About a third of patients with MDS develop AML.

How quickly does MDS progress?

The pace of progression varies. In some individuals the condition worsens within a few months of diagnosis, while others have relatively little problem for several decades. In about 50 percent of cases, MDS deteriorates into a form of cancer known as acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

What is the survival rate for myelodysplastic syndrome?

Survival statistics for MDS

What is considered high risk MDS?

The newer WPSS classification system takes into account chromosomal abnormalities like IPSS, but includes two more factors—the WHO's own classification of MDS subtypes and whether the patient is dependent on red cell transfusions. In the WPSS, a score of three or above is considered higher-risk.

How serious is myelodysplastic syndrome?

MDS is a severe, chronic syndrome from which very few people successfully recover. It often progresses to AML, which is a form of leukemia. Depending on which scoring system a doctor uses, life expectancy can change, according to the progression of MDS.

Do you lose weight with MDS?

MDS can cause fatigue, fevers, weight loss, and other symptoms. However, these problems can often be signs of other blood-related illnesses. Consult your doctor if you experience: shortness of breath.