Myelodysplastic Syndrome

Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) from Benzene Exposure

What are Myelodysplastic Syndromes?

Myelodysplastic (my-low-dis-PLAS-tic) syndromes – or MDS – are a group of conditions caused by abnormal blood-forming cells of the bone marrow. The word "myelo" refers to bone marrow and "dysplastic" to abnormal growth. In MDS, the bone marrow cannot make the right kind of blood cells. These abnormal blood cells die before they leave the bone marrow or shortly after getting into the bloodstream. As a result, people with MDS have too few healthy blood cells. Their blood cell counts are said to be low.

In the past, MDS was not thought to be cancer. But now most experts in blood diseases think that it is a form of cancer. This is because, like cancer, all the cells look alike. They seem to have started from a single abnormal cell.

Also, in about 3 out of 10 cases, the MDS will become a form of cancer called acute myelogenous leukemia. Some doctors think MDS is an early form of leukemia, although not all cases of MDS will become leukemia.

What are Myelodysplastic or Myeloproliferative Diseases?

Experts have decided that certain blood diseases that were once called MDS really don't belong there. These diseases (there are 3 main types) produce too many white blood cells and are called myeloproliferative (my-low-pro-LIF-er-tiv) diseases. The word "proliferative" mens too much growth or too many cells. These diseases seem to be more like a type of leukemia. The most common is CMML (chronic myelomonocytic leukemia), which is mainly a disease of older people. People with this disease have very high white blood cell counts. The other 2 types of these diseases are quite rare.

Normal Bone Marrow

Bone marrow is the soft, inner part of some bones such as those of the skull, shoulder blades, ribs, pelvis, and backbones. Bone marrow contains stem cells that divide to form new cells. Some of these cells remain stem cells while others change into one of 3 types of blood cells: red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets.

Red blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body and carry away carbon dioxide. White blood cells (there are several subtypes) help the body fight infection. Platelets help to plug up damaged areas of blood vessels caused by cuts or bruises.

Types of Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)

The WHO (World Health Organization) has recently developed a system that divides MDS into 8 groups. Most of the time, the group is determined by how the cells of the bone marrow look under a microscope. Because the differences can be very small, doctors may disagree about which group something belongs in. Your doctor can explain to you the exact kind of MDS you have.

How many people get Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)?

We do not know the exact number of people in the United States who get MDS. The estimate is that there are between 10,000 and 15,000 new cases each year. Most patients with MDS are older than 60 years. The number of new cases seems to be going up, perhaps because our population is getting older. Men get MDS slightly more often than women. Radiation and certain chemicals have also been linked to MDS.

American Cancer Society

Benzene Lawsuits – Talk to a Benzene Lawyer

If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with any of the following leukemia's, then please contact us immediately:

• Aplastic Anemia (AA)
• Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML)
• Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)
• Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL)

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