What Is The Risk Of Relapse With MDS?

Myelodysplastic syndromes are a group of blood disorders that affect how bone marrow makes blood cells. They can lead to low blood cell counts (cytopenia) and the inability of bone marrow cells to develop properly (dysplasia). 

MDS is considered incurable if treated only with chemotherapy, and not all patients who undergo a bone marrow transplant are cured. Research studies focus on expanding alternatives for patients who can’t receive a transplant to get closer to a cure. When a patient has a good response, that means after receiving treatment and having no MDS, it stays that way for some time, but eventually, it returns. 

MDS patients are classified according to the risk of their disease progressing into acute leukemia. The therapies administered and treatment goals will be adapted to that risk: 

• For low-risk patients, doctors will try to minimize any symptoms with medication as much as possible.
• For high-risk patients, treatment options will be more aggressive, like a bone marrow transplant, to try to control the underlying disease for as long as possible.

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