Monday, June 18, 2007 12:17 PM EDT
June 18: Friends host drive to aid local woman with leukemia
To view the original article as it appeared in The Westerly Sun, visit our E-PAPER and select the date the article ran from "Recent Issues." Here is additional information about blood cancers provided by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society:
Myelodysplastic Syndromes Facts & Statistics:
The term myelodysplastic syndromes or MDS describes a group of blood cancers. MDS is divided into subtypes depending on disease severity. It may be nonprogressive and have little effect on a person's health and life expectancy. Other subtypes are slower-progressing types of myelogenous leukemia that may have a serious effect on health and life expectancy.
MDS begins with changes in a blood-forming cell in the marrow. With this disease, blood cell production in the marrow is usually increased and the marrow is filled with more than the normal number of developing blood cells (hypercellular marrow). The blood is usually deficient in cells because the numerous developing cells in the marrow die before they reach maturity and would normally be released into the blood. Although the cells that are being formed and being released into the blood are cancerous, they are so mildly affected that they often remain functional. In other words, the red cells carry oxygen, the white cells can ingest and kill bacteria and the platelets can plug up injury to blood vessels.
In more severe cases of MDS, blood cell formation is more disordered; as a result abnormal blast cells accumulate in marrow and blood. These cells do not mature into functional cells.
When there are blasts cells in marrow and blood, but in lower proportions, the condition is referred to as MDS; if there are higher proportions of blast cells in marrow and blood the disease is considered to be acute myelogenous leukemia. It is the continuum of cases of MDS -- from cases without blast cells, to cases with lower proportions of blast cells, to cases with higher proportions of blast cells -- that is a principal determinent of disease severity.
Incidence
The estimated incidence of new cases of MDS in the United States is not known. It is believed that there is approximately the same number of new cases as with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). The total estimated number of new cases of AML for 2006 is nearly 12,000.
The highest incidence of cases is in patients over 60 years of age, although people of all ages are diagnosed with MDS. The disease is less common in children. In this population, the disease is often associated with abnormal cells that have an acquired loss of chromosome 7.
Diagnosis
A diagnosis is made by measuring a person's blood cell counts and examining the appearance of the blood cells in blood and marrow under a microscope. In addition, a sample of blood and marrow cells is examined to determine if there are any chromosomal abnormalities. This examination of cells, called a cytogenic analysis, can be helpful in reaching a conclusion about the diagnosis. The marrow cells are obtained through tests called bone marrow aspirate and bone marrow biopsy.
Fluorescence (F) in (I) situ (S) hybridization (H), often referred to as FISH, is a method to identify cells whose nuclei contain chromosomal abnormalities.FISH can be used to identify abnormal cells for diagnosis and to follow the effects of therapy.
Signs and Symptoms
Chronic or nonprogressive forms of MDS of the disorder, the diagnosis may first be suspected from a finding of anemia during a medical evaluation. If the anemia is moderate or severe, exaggerated fatigue, shortness of breath on exertion (such as during climbing stairs), pale skin or weakness may be present.
In the more advanced and progressive form of the disease, which is a low blast cell count myelogenous leukemia, the patient often comes to medical attention because of loss of sense of well being, fatigue, weakness, or loss of appetite.
Causes and Risk Factors
The causes of MDS are similar to those of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). In most cases the disease has no specific, clear-cut triggering event. The followinf factors can increase the risk of developing MDS or AML:
The use of certain drugs that damage DNA. These drugs are used to treat lymphoma, myeloma or other cancers, such as breast or ovarian cancer.
The use of therapeutic radiation for lymphoma.
Exposure to benzene above threshold levels for protracted periods of time, usually in an industrial setting. The stringent regulation of benzene use in the workplace has diminished the frequency of benzene as a risk factor for MDS or AML.
Determining the Need for Treatment and Treatment Approaches
In this group of diseases, those at the chronic and stable end of the spectrum are often not treated. In patients with more troublesome decreases in blood cell counts, drugs that can stimulate blood cell production may be useful.
In more severe and progressive cases, the disease may require treatment with chemotherapy. Factors that determine treatment with chemotherapy include age, the patient's coexisting medical condition, the severity of the manifestations of the disease and the rate of progression of the disease.
In the very small proportion of patients who are under 50 with a severe form of myelodysplastic syndrome, intensive radiation and/or chemotherapy followed by allogeneic stem cell transplantation can be considered (see Blood and Marrow Stem Cell Transplantation booklet).
The Course of the Disease
In patients who have the least consequential type of myelodysplastic syndrome, such as mild refractory anemia with mild to moderate decreases in white cell and platelet counts, the abnormalities may not require treatment and activity levels are little affected. It is not uncommon for years or decades to pass with little change in status. Since there is a risk of evolution to a more severe disturbance in blood cell formation, which in the extreme is acute myelogenous leukemia, periodic surveillance is important.
Curative therapy is not available for most patients at this time. Younger individuals who are candidates for allogeneic stem cell transplantation may have restoration of normal blood cell formation after a successful transplant.
Myelodysplastic Syndromes Facts & Statistics:
The term myelodysplastic syndromes or MDS describes a group of blood cancers. MDS is divided into subtypes depending on disease severity. It may be nonprogressive and have little effect on a person's health and life expectancy. Other subtypes are slower-progressing types of myelogenous leukemia that may have a serious effect on health and life expectancy.
MDS begins with changes in a blood-forming cell in the marrow. With this disease, blood cell production in the marrow is usually increased and the marrow is filled with more than the normal number of developing blood cells (hypercellular marrow). The blood is usually deficient in cells because the numerous developing cells in the marrow die before they reach maturity and would normally be released into the blood. Although the cells that are being formed and being released into the blood are cancerous, they are so mildly affected that they often remain functional. In other words, the red cells carry oxygen, the white cells can ingest and kill bacteria and the platelets can plug up injury to blood vessels.
In more severe cases of MDS, blood cell formation is more disordered; as a result abnormal blast cells accumulate in marrow and blood. These cells do not mature into functional cells.
When there are blasts cells in marrow and blood, but in lower proportions, the condition is referred to as MDS; if there are higher proportions of blast cells in marrow and blood the disease is considered to be acute myelogenous leukemia. It is the continuum of cases of MDS -- from cases without blast cells, to cases with lower proportions of blast cells, to cases with higher proportions of blast cells -- that is a principal determinent of disease severity.
Incidence
The estimated incidence of new cases of MDS in the United States is not known. It is believed that there is approximately the same number of new cases as with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). The total estimated number of new cases of AML for 2006 is nearly 12,000.
The highest incidence of cases is in patients over 60 years of age, although people of all ages are diagnosed with MDS. The disease is less common in children. In this population, the disease is often associated with abnormal cells that have an acquired loss of chromosome 7.
Diagnosis
A diagnosis is made by measuring a person's blood cell counts and examining the appearance of the blood cells in blood and marrow under a microscope. In addition, a sample of blood and marrow cells is examined to determine if there are any chromosomal abnormalities. This examination of cells, called a cytogenic analysis, can be helpful in reaching a conclusion about the diagnosis. The marrow cells are obtained through tests called bone marrow aspirate and bone marrow biopsy.
Fluorescence (F) in (I) situ (S) hybridization (H), often referred to as FISH, is a method to identify cells whose nuclei contain chromosomal abnormalities.FISH can be used to identify abnormal cells for diagnosis and to follow the effects of therapy.
Signs and Symptoms
Chronic or nonprogressive forms of MDS of the disorder, the diagnosis may first be suspected from a finding of anemia during a medical evaluation. If the anemia is moderate or severe, exaggerated fatigue, shortness of breath on exertion (such as during climbing stairs), pale skin or weakness may be present.
In the more advanced and progressive form of the disease, which is a low blast cell count myelogenous leukemia, the patient often comes to medical attention because of loss of sense of well being, fatigue, weakness, or loss of appetite.
Causes and Risk Factors
The causes of MDS are similar to those of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). In most cases the disease has no specific, clear-cut triggering event. The followinf factors can increase the risk of developing MDS or AML:
The use of certain drugs that damage DNA. These drugs are used to treat lymphoma, myeloma or other cancers, such as breast or ovarian cancer.
The use of therapeutic radiation for lymphoma.
Exposure to benzene above threshold levels for protracted periods of time, usually in an industrial setting. The stringent regulation of benzene use in the workplace has diminished the frequency of benzene as a risk factor for MDS or AML.
Determining the Need for Treatment and Treatment Approaches
In this group of diseases, those at the chronic and stable end of the spectrum are often not treated. In patients with more troublesome decreases in blood cell counts, drugs that can stimulate blood cell production may be useful.
In more severe and progressive cases, the disease may require treatment with chemotherapy. Factors that determine treatment with chemotherapy include age, the patient's coexisting medical condition, the severity of the manifestations of the disease and the rate of progression of the disease.
In the very small proportion of patients who are under 50 with a severe form of myelodysplastic syndrome, intensive radiation and/or chemotherapy followed by allogeneic stem cell transplantation can be considered (see Blood and Marrow Stem Cell Transplantation booklet).
The Course of the Disease
In patients who have the least consequential type of myelodysplastic syndrome, such as mild refractory anemia with mild to moderate decreases in white cell and platelet counts, the abnormalities may not require treatment and activity levels are little affected. It is not uncommon for years or decades to pass with little change in status. Since there is a risk of evolution to a more severe disturbance in blood cell formation, which in the extreme is acute myelogenous leukemia, periodic surveillance is important.
Curative therapy is not available for most patients at this time. Younger individuals who are candidates for allogeneic stem cell transplantation may have restoration of normal blood cell formation after a successful transplant.
 | Share your thoughts.... Our TalkBack option has been updated to improve service to our viewers. Some comments made prior to March 26 may not be available for viewing outside of the archives section. Thank you for your patience during this update. TalkBack is an opportunity for viewers to exchange comments regarding online content. Comments are moderated. Please allow time for posting. Comments are not edited. They are either approved or they are not. Comments should be void of personal attacks, foul language, advertisements or impersonations. Please limit comments to 200 words or less. |