The MDS Beacon™

On September 9, Dr. Richard Irons, CEO of Cinpathogen, Inc., announced that research has shown a significant difference in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) cases in China and the West. He made the statement at the Benzene 2009 Symposium, an annual international meeting where research about benzene-induced diseases and related changes in bone marrow function is presented and discussed.

Results showed that Chinese patients tended to develop MDS a median of 15 years earlier than Western patients. In addition, the disease presented different symptoms when caused by benzene exposure, compared to other causes.

These differences suggest Chinese and Western patients need to be diagnosed and treated according to these variations.

The finding came from the Shanghai Health Study, evaluating 649 new cases of MDS in Shanghai over four years, focusing specifically on the role of benzene exposure as a source of secondary MDS.

The study was a collaborative effort between Cinpathogen, Fudan University, the University of Colorado, the Shanghai Hematology Society, and the Shanghai Pathology Society. Cinpathogen is a leading biomedical research and consulting firm based in Shanghai, China.

For more information, please see the Cinpathogen press release or the related MDS Beacon research summary about MDS differences in Chinese, Romanian, and Western patients.