Discover what Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) are and what your diagnosis means. Learn about the signs and symptoms you may notice, your options for MDS treatment, and the challenges that might come with living with MDS.
Your MDS Diagnosis
What Does It Mean?
What is
MDS?
MDS is a type of blood cancer in which bone marrow, a soft tissue which contains a lot of blood vessels and is found in the center of most bones, does not produce enough healthy blood cells. MDS is often unrecognized and underdiagnosed.
Facts About MDS
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In MDS, stem cells may not mature properly and accumulate in the bone marrow, leading to fewer mature blood cells than usual.
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MDS often results in having low blood cell counts, which can lead to signs and symptoms like infection, anemia, bleeding, and bruising easily.
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MDS often results in circulating blood cells having a different size and shape than normal healthy cells.
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Somewhere between 12,000 and 20,000 new cases of MDS are reported every year.
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It is estimated between 60,000 to 170,000 people live with MDS in the U.S.
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75% of MDS patients are 60 years or older.
What is MDS?
Watch a high-level explanation of MDS and how it works within the body.
MDS
Risk Factors
Doctors don’t know for sure what causes MDS, but certain factors can make you more likely to get MDS.
Age
MDS risk increases as you get older.
Chemical Exposure
Long-term exposure to certain chemicals, including ones found in tobacco smoke and benzene, can increase your MDS risk.
Familial MDS
Certain people are born with inherited genetic mutations that make them more likely to receive an MDS diagnosis. Talk to a Genetic Counselor if you think MDS may run in your family.
Gender
MDS is more common in men than women.
Previous Cancer Treatment
Radiation therapy or chemotherapy can increase the risk for what’s called treatment- or therapy-related MDS.
Smoking
Most people know smoking can cause lung cancer, but it can also cause cancer in other parts of the body.
MDS Signs
and Symptoms
Early in the disease, people living with MDS may experience no symptoms at all and only realize they have MDS due to routine blood tests that reveal abnormal blood counts. However, other patients experience symptoms associated with MDS which lead them to visit their doctor.
Many people are already anemic at the time of MDS diagnosis and may experience symptoms such as:
Fatigue
Weakness
Shortness of breath during normal physical activities
Dizziness, faintness, lightheadedness
Headaches
Pale skin
A low white blood cell count makes it harder for the body to fight infections, leading to symptoms including:
Frequent infections
Fever
Low platelet counts can cause symptoms such as:
Easy bruising
Petechiae (pinhead-sized red spots on skin)
Prolonged bleeding from minor cuts
Severe or frequent nosebleeds
Bleeding gums
Many people are already anemic at the time of MDS diagnosis and may experience symptoms such as:
Fatigue
Weakness
Shortness of breath during normal physical activities
Dizziness, faintness, lightheadedness
Headaches
Pale skin
A low white blood cell count makes it harder for the body to fight infections, leading to symptoms including:
Frequent infections
Fever
Low platelet counts can cause symptoms such as:
Easy bruising
Petechiae (pinhead-sized red spots on skin)
Prolonged bleeding from minor cuts
Severe or frequent nosebleeds
Bleeding gums
References
- MDS. Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. https://www.lls.org/myelodysplastic-syndromes/myelodysplastic-syndromes. Accessed March 1, 2024.
- What is MDS? https://www.mds-foundation.org/what-is-mds/ Accessed March 1, 2024.
- American Cancer Society. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/myelodysplastic-syndrome/causes-risks-prevention/risk-factors.html. Accessed August 14, 2024.
- Signs and Symptoms. https://www.lls.org/myelodysplastic-syndromes/signs-and-symptoms. Accessed March 4, 2024.
- Facts about MDS. https://seer.cancer.gov/. Accessed September 9, 2024.