When Carl Riegel was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndromes in 2006, one of his main concerns was his children.
“I was starting my second batch of kids,” said Riegel, 63. “I really wasn’t planning on checking out early.”
Riegel has a 10 year old daughter, as well as a daughter who is 34 and a son who is 32 from his first marriage. With the prospect of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) looming, Riegel said he and his wife took the news very…
Vidaza (azacitidine) improves survival compared to conventional care regimens in higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) patients who are 75 years or older, according to an analysis performed by researchers on an earlier Phase 3 clinical trial.
Researchers concluded that age alone should not be the deciding factor for treatment choice and that more elderly patients should be considered for targeted chemotherapies, such as Vidaza.
Elderly MDS patients generally have limited treatment options due to other age-related diseases, functional impairment, and poor…
Bob Macfarlane, currently 65 years old, has never been afraid of a good fight.
Whether from his time fighting in the Vietnam War or teaching students the fundamentals of computer science and mathematics over 40 years as an adjunct professor at numerous Florida universities, Macfarlane is a man who is not afraid to confront tough situations. This includes his diagnosis with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).
It was May 2001 when Macfarlane’s private doctor first told him there might be something wrong.…
Immunosuppressant agents may increase responsiveness of anemic, low-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) patients to treatment with erythropoietin (EPO). Additionally, immunosuppressant agents may decrease transfusion dependency, according to a study published in Haematologica.
Anemia is common in low-risk MDS and is usually treated with transfusions, but MDS patients who are transfusion dependent typically have poor survival. EPO is a hormone used to treat anemia in MDS by promoting the production of red blood cells. EPO and other growth factors have been shown…