Researchers in Germany showed that myelodysplastic syndromes patients have significantly higher rates of overall and relapse-free survival and lower rates of side effects when treated with a treosulfan-based chemotherapy than with a standard total body irradiation-based therapy before stem cell transplantation.

Stem cell transplants are currently the only curative treatment available for myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). They require patients to be treated with chemotherapy or radiation to prepare their bodies for the procedure. However, these initial treatments are associated with severe…

A recent study suggests that Vidaza is effective and safe in both lower- and higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes patients 75 years of age or older. Vidaza administered for five consecutive days was found to be the preferred dosing schedule for elderly patients.

These findings were presented at the 15th Congress of the European Hematology Association (EHA) in Barcelona, Spain, last month.

Previous studies have shown that Vidaza (azacitidine) improves overall survival in higher-risk elderly myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) patients (see related

Results from a recent study suggest that treatment with Vidaza or Dacogen is effective for myelodysplastic syndromes patients before they receive donor stem cell transplants. Researchers from South Korea presented these findings at the 2010 European Hematology Association (EHA) Congress.

Stem cell transplantation in which abnormal bone marrow is replaced with healthy donor marrow is the only therapy known to cure myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Vidaza (azacitidine) and Dacogen (decitabine), similar types of drugs that both suppress…

Researchers from Italy confirmed that severe anemia has a negative impact on survival of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). The severity of anemia is therefore a good prognostic tool to evaluate MDS progression and overall survival. These results were presented at the 2010 European Hematology Association (EHA) Congress in Barcelona, Spain, last month.

Anemia, or low red blood cell counts, is a very common side effect of MDS. Over 90 percent of patients are anemic at the time of their…