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Myelodysplastic Anemia – A Form of Myleodysplastic Syndromes

The myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of diseases of the blood cells. Some MDS have mild to moderate effect on the patient because of non-progressiveness. However, with myelodysplastic leukemia, a cancerous blood cell is slowly developing into some terminal type.

Thousands of Americans are affected by this illness, each year. Although a few causes have been discovered there is still no cure. Scientists continue to work with health care providers to prevent myelodysplastic anemia and other related illnesses from taking more lives in the future.

MDS occurs and leads to anemia when the blood-forming cells in the bone marrow produce cells that don't mature properly, which can lead to low counts of healthy blood red blood cells, white bloods cells, or platelets in the bloodstream. The lowest degree of severity it seems is defined in MDS cases with mild anemia.

In aplastic anemia, the bone marrow's blood-forming cells stop producing new blood cells altogether. The decrease in production of all three blood cell types will result to anemia (low red blood cells), low immune system (low white blood cells), and bleeding (low platelets).

The difference between MDS and aplastic anemia is found in the bone marrow. With MDS, the bone marrow is producing abnormal or underdeveloped blood cells, which do not function correctly. With aplastic anemia, the bone marrow is not producing any new blood cells. However, the MDS is common among old patients; while this seems affecting only the young. Like secondary MDS, cases of secondary aplastic anemia were caused by the following:

* chemotherapy
* radiation
* medicated drugs for cancer treatment
* pregnancy with complications
* exposure to toxic chemicals such benzene

The symptoms of MDS and aplastic anemia are closely similar to one another; thus, the common term Myelodysplastic Anemia. However, only an oncologist or qualified doctor can give accurate diagnosis.

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