Complications of MDS: MDS is a clonal disorder that can present clinically as myelosuppression.

The effects of myelosuppression are a major concern for most patients. Myelosuppression may be caused by the natural progression of MDS or by the treatment of MDS with currently available FDA-approved DNA hypomethylating agents. However, myelosuppression associated with treatment may be transient. Managing myelosuppression during treatment with a DNA hypomethylating agent may contribute to the success of the treatment in ultimately altering the progression of the disease.⁸

Complications of MDS

The complexities and complications of MDS are interconnected to symptoms, patient treatments, and the corresponding effects on a patient's health.

Early in the course of MDS, and sometimes in its mildest forms, symptoms are seemingly minor. In fact, some patients have no symptoms and are unaware of their disease until routine medical evaluations reveal anemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, or a combination of the three.¹³

Even mild and moderate disease, though, can have substantial consequences that affect a patient's health, including the following:

• Chronic fatigue
• Irritability
• Dizziness
• Weakness
• Frequent infections
• Bleeding
• Bruising¹⁴

The most serious consequence of MDS is the greatly shortened life expectancy that some patients may encounter. Some patients will experience more rapid onset and development of MDS and will be working to cope with their symptoms and the psychological stress of being diagnosed with a serious illness.^7,15

Even without the prospect of a shortened life span, many patients will experience stress and anxiety concerning the possibility that their disease will progress to acute leukemia.⁷

Learn more about  Diagnostic Scoring and Assessing MDS

References

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

DACOGEN may cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Women of childbearing potential should be advised to avoid becoming pregnant while using DACOGEN. Men should be advised not to father a child while receiving treatment with DACOGEN, and for 2 months afterwards. The most commonly occurring adverse reactions include neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, anemia, pyrexia, fatigue, nausea, cough, petechiae, constipation, diarrhea, and hyperglycemia.

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