The MDS Beacon™

According to a recent German study, a quick sequence of two drug regimens has shown promise as preparative therapy prior to stem cell transplantation in patients with higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes.

The German regimen involves four days of treatment with fludarabine, amsacrine, and high-dose cytarabine followed, several days later, by a single high dose of melphalan.

The researchers investigating this regimen found that 97 percent of the patients who received it achieved complete remission within one month following their stem cell transplant.

Stem cell transplantation is currently the only potentially curative treatment available to patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).

In…

Dutch researchers recently found that the platelet count after the first Vidaza treatment cycle may be an early predictor of survival in myelodysplastic syndromes patients. Specifically, patients whose platelet counts at least doubled after the first treatment cycle had significantly longer overall survival times than patients whose platelet count did not increase as much.

“Those patients who have an early platelet response will do very well, and these patients should be encouraged to continue Vidaza,” said the study’s lead author,…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday approved the drug Ferriprox for the treatment of iron overload in patients with thalassemia who have had an insufficient response to at least one other iron overload therapy.

Thalassemia is a genetic condition that causes anemia.

The FDA approval of Ferriprox (deferiprone), which will be marketed by the Canadian company ApoPharma, is in line with the recommendation the agency received from its Oncology Drug Advisory Committee, which met last…

Jack Grubb and his wife BJ were enjoying life as retirees in Etna, California, when they found out about Jack’s myelodysplastic syndrome diagnosis in 2009 after an annual physical exam. He was 67 years old at the time and felt very fit.

“My doctor noticed that my blood counts were low,” explained Jack.  “He decided we needed to see a specialist in Medford, Oregon.”

The specialist performed a bone marrow biopsy right away and informed Jack that he had myelodysplastic…

Danish researchers recently found that patients who underwent stem cell transplantation frequently experienced sexual dysfunction, sometimes for extended periods of time after transplantation.  Patients who experienced reduced sexual function also reported lower quality of life.

Given the frequency of sexual dysfunction in these patients, the researchers concluded that there is a strong need for treatment studies in this area.

“Sexuality and sexual function is a quality of life variable that is in particular need of further research and attention in…