Myelodysplastic Syndrome: A Cancer of the Bone Marrow

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Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a bone marrow cancer. It occurs when there is a mutation in the stem cells in the bone marrow. MDS comes in many subtypes with various risk factors. Because of this, treatment can range from monitoring blood count to stem cell transplant. Hematologist/oncologist Michael Keng, MD, walks us through the ins and outs of this multi-faceted bone marrow disorder.

Find out more at: https://uvahealth.com/services..../blood-cancer/myelod

Hi, my name is Dr. Michael Keng. I work here at the University of Virginia. And I specialize in taking care of people with diagnosis of bone marrow disorders, such as myelodysplastic syndromes, myeloproliferative neoplasms, and acute leukemias.

Myelodysplastic syndrome is a bone marrow cancer. It is when one of the stem cells do not work appropriately in the bone marrow.

The bone marrow is a factory for us to create normal functioning white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets. When something happens along that line and there is a mutation, then that's when myelodysplastic syndrome can occur.

Myelodysplastic syndrome has various risk categories. It goes from very low-risk to very high-risk. So, if someone were diagnosed with lower risk myelodysplastic syndrome, something could be as simple as monitoring blood counts and very close observation with a physical exam.

However, when patients progress to intermediate or higher risk myelodysplastic syndromes, various treatments are used. The classic traditional chemotherapy used for other cancers, which you may know from the movies or the internet, is typically not involved with myelodysplastic syndromes. We use various forms of epigenetic or targeted types of therapies.

The only cure for myelodysplastic syndrome is an allogeneic stem cell transplant, which means it's a transplant from someone else. We are trying to replace the person's immune system. So you're getting someone else's stem cells to hope to get rid of the myelodysplastic syndrome bad cells.

At the University of Virginia, we have a specialized team for myelodysplastic syndrome. We have physicians, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, case managers, nutritionists, and all social supports that specialize in patients with this particular disorder. This multidisciplinary team is what really makes UVA unique.

Also, we offer many different clinical trials that are not offered throughout the state of Virginia.

And lastly, we are the Myelodysplastic Syndrome Foundation Center of Excellence, a very unique honor and destination to the care for our patients with MDS.

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  Myelodysplastic Syndromes - MDS