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Video

Is there a relationship between myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia? Are there other precursor conditions?

Description

Learn about a relationship between myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia in this HealthTree University lesson by a cancer specialist.

On this video

Healthtree contact David Rizzieri, MD, Specialist

David Rizzieri, MD, Specialist

Duke Health

Transcript

Is there a relationship between MDS and AML? Are there other precursor conditions? There is a relationship between MDS and AML. We often don't understand the depth and breadth of that relationship though. Myelodysplasia is yet another form of blood cancer. To me, I think of that as not only do we have abnormal blood cells, in part like we do often in leukemia, but there's also some underlying damage to the blood factory. And together that's driving this dysplasia, which means malformed cells. Over time, many of those patients do have MDS progress to AML, but not always. There are other precursor conditions to AML. It is very uncommon to be born with an increased genetic risk for AML, but that is reported. There are other known diseases that are uncommon in the population, but has a secondary effect. They have blood cancers like acute leukemia as one of the long-term risks, yes. It is very uncommon for AML to run in families, but it has been reported.

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