Myelodysplastic Syndrome - Signs and Symptoms

Signs and Symptoms

The median age at diagnosis of a MDS is between 60 and 75 years; a few patients are younger than 50; MDS diagnoses are rare in children. Males are slightly more commonly affected than females. Signs and symptoms are nonspecific and generally related to the blood cytopenias:

• Anemia (low RBC count or reduced hemoglobin) —chronic tiredness, shortness of breath, chilled sensation, sometimes chest pain
• Neutropenia (low neutrophil count) —increased susceptibility to infection
• Thrombocytopenia (low platelet count) —increased susceptibility to bleeding and ecchymosis (bruising), as well as subcutaneous hemorrhaging resulting in purpura or petechia

Many individuals are asymptomatic, and blood cytopenia or other problems are identified as a part of a routine blood count:

• neutropenia, anemia and thrombocytopenia (low cell counts of white and red blood cells, and platelets, respectively);
• splenomegaly or rarely hepatomegaly;
• abnormal granules in cells, abnormal nuclear shape and size; and/or
• chromosomal abnormalities, including chromosomal translocations and abnormal chromosome number.

Although there is some risk for developing acute myelogenous leukemia, about 50% of deaths occur as a result of bleeding or infection. Leukemia that occurs as a result of myelodysplasia is notoriously resistant to treatment.