Treating Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Because myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) belong to a group of diseases that vary greatly among patients, MDS treatment must be customized in relation to a patient’s disease type, age, health and other individual criteria.1

Treatment options for MDS are limited. As discussed in the Managing Myelodysplastic Syndromes section, treatment of MDS primarily focuses on supportive care to help manage MDS symptoms and the side effects of treatment.

Although hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation can produce complete and durable remissions, it usually is contraindicated for the typical MDS patient.2 Other therapies, including chemotherapy, growth factors and immunosuppressive therapy, are in use but have not been proven to be optimally effective.1

While current treatment options are limited, emerging developments in MDS research have shown promise and may provide effective interventions in the near future. Visit the Latest Developments page in this section to learn more. Also, visit the Current Treatment Options and Treatment Guidelines pages for more information on treating MDS.