The MDS Beacon™

A recent study shows that myelodysplastic syndromes patients who undergo chemotherapy treatment in the hospital may fare better if discharged immediately than if hospitalized until their blood cell levels return to normal.

In order to better understand which patients are likely to require readmission and which are not, Dr. Roland Walter, from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and lead author of the study, said, “A larger study, such as the one we have now initiated and that is open for accrual, might help to find parameters that predict who…

The treatment options for myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) patients represents a continuing discovery process with different levels of intensity as evaluated in a recent review of treatment options published in the supplement of the journal Cancer Control.

The main goals when treating high-risk MDS patients are to increase overall survival and delay progression to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Researchers also strive to improve quality of life through supportive care, achieve independence from red blood cell transfusions, and decrease symptoms.

Options for high-risk MDS patients are divided into high-intensity therapies, including stem…

Acute pulmonary failure is a rare but serious complication of chemotherapy.  The condition is characterized by lung injury and respiratory distress, and it is unrelated to heart failure.

MDS patients receive chemotherapy drugs to kill cancerous cells, help bone marrow to produce healthy blood cells, and prepare for bone marrow transplantation.  Intensive treatments…