{"id":5098,"date":"2019-03-20T08:42:50","date_gmt":"2019-03-20T08:42:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/?p=5098"},"modified":"2021-05-31T20:46:15","modified_gmt":"2021-05-31T20:46:15","slug":"10-things-to-know-about-myelodysplastic-syndrome","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/10-things-to-know-about-myelodysplastic-syndrome\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Things to Know About Myelodysplastic Syndrome"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Myelodysplastic Syndrome (which is also sometimes referred to as MDS) describes a type of cancers that commonly affects the amount of new cells that are being produced in the bone marrow; even though it\u2019s considered to be a rare health condition, it\u2019s still a more common one than you might have thought and it\u2019s estimated to occur in approximately 1 in ever 100, 000 people.
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There are many potential risk factors that can increase your risk of developing MDS, including having previously undergone chemotherapy or radiation at any point in your life \u2013 and research shows that there are some genetic factors which can increase your risk even further.
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The condition can be treated, but early diagnosis is key to successful treatment.
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Here are 8 things you should know about MDS that can help you to spot it if you ever encounter the condition in yourself or someone you know.
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1. It Can Be Common <\/strong>
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Even though MDS is considered to be a rarer type of cancer <\/a>than those that are more commonly diagnosed under the general population, it\u2019s still a more common condition than you might think that occurs in approximately 1 in every 100, 000 people every year according to statistics.
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If you have been diagnosed with any other types of cancer or if you have undergone chemotherapy or radiation therapy for any type of cancer before. If you have undergone any of these conditions in the past, your doctor should be able to test for MDS if you start to experience any of the symptoms that are associated with the condition, which can include anemia, internal bleeding and a generally lowered immune system.
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Exposure to chemicals like benzene or tobacco over time can also sometimes help to increase the risk of developing MDS, and a doctor\u2019s appointment is vital should symptoms occur.
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2. Asymptomatic at First<\/strong>
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There are many different symptoms that can be associated with a diagnosis of MDS, although it\u2019s true that most of these symptoms will only occur in later stages once the condition has already taken hold and been allowed to progress without the proper treatment<\/a>.
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Usually, the majority of cases of MDS that are diagnosed will at first occur without any of the characteristic outer symptoms being pregnant, and during this stage the condition might only be picked up during tests, usually blood tests, during which something is noticed as unusual.
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Because of this reason, any higher risk factors of contracting MDS should be in touch with their medical professionals to monitor their health on a regular basis  This helps so that any conditions (such as MDS) can be diagnosed and treated early even before the first symptoms begin.
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See your doctor with any signs of ill-health \u2013 and don\u2019t skip appointments.
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4. Certain Factors Increase Your Risk<\/strong>
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There are many potential factors which can increase your risk of developing MDS in addition to the different health conditions (such as leukemia<\/a>) which can put you at a higher risk; you should speak to your doctor if you are described by any of the higher risk factors for MDS even if you aren\u2019t experiencing any of the symptoms that can be associated with the condition.
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It can almost always help with the diagnosis even when you find it an unimportant detail surrounding your health that you might have ignored otherwise.
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Some of the risk factors that mean you should speak to your doctor includes having undergone radiation or chemotherapy before as a treatment for any other type of cancers; being a smoker and being exposed to certain metals can also increase your risk of developing MDS (and sometimes other types of cancers).
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These risk factors can help early diagnosis.
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5. Leukemia Risk<\/strong>
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There are plenty of different health factors which can increase your risk of developing MDS, and you should speak to your doctor if you are described by any of these potential conditions \u2013 this is true even if you aren\u2019t experiencing any of the associated or related symptoms of MDS, especially due to the fact that MDS tends to present without any of the characteristic symptoms of the disorder during the initial stages.
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One of the conditions that is known for going hand-in-hand with a diagnosis of MDS can potentially be leukemia, and this can happen either before or after a diagnosis of Myelodysplastic Syndrome<\/a>. You might develop MDS as a result of having developed (and treated) leukemia, or this might happen in the other order.
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You should speak to your doctor if you spot any symptoms of either condition, or have ever experienced a diagnosis of either of these conditions.
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6. Later Symptoms Become More Severe<\/strong>
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The majority of MDS cases will first present without any of the most common symptoms of the condition being present, and the first signs of the disorder might be noticed before symptoms start to show as part of tests for something else, or it might only become more apparent once the first symptoms of the disease have started to show. A lowered immunity <\/a>might easily be the first only symptom that occurs at first, which means that it\u2019s commonly missed until later.
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Even though it\u2019s a condition that\u2019s initially asymptomatic, later on more severe signs of the disease can start to show; these are symptoms that includes low platelets in the blood and severe anemia. Other symptoms known to be characteristic of blood cancers can also start to appear at this point.
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Any severe or unusual symptoms should be further investigated by your doctor immediately, especially considering any higher-risk cases.
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7. Famous Cases Exist<\/strong>
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Even though Myelodysplastic Syndrome is considered to be a rarer type of disorder, it\u2019s one that occurs in approximately 1 in every 100, 000 people every year \u2013 and statistics guess at the fact that the number could be even higher if more cases of the condition were properly diagnosed <\/a>and recorded. There are thousands of people who go through hospital doors every year, and it\u2019s likely and possible that many of them might be diagnosed with MDS during their time there \u2013 and even famous cases exist.
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Susan Sontag and scientist Carl Sagan are two of the documented more famous cases of MDS \u2013 and this is important to know because of the fact that it has helped a lot towards the research done towards what can be done to cure the condition.
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Today, there are better ways of treating MDS than we might have had as little as ten years ago.
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Carl Sagan<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Susan Sontag
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8. Stem Cell Transplants Help<\/strong>
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Myelodysplastic Syndrome can usually be treated with a combination of early diagnosis and a knowledgeable medical team that can recommend the best possible treatment course for the condition \u2013 preferably, this should be your own team of medical doctors that knows your existing medical history up to that point, especially if MDS occurs as a result of any other conditions or risk factors<\/a> that were treated by the same team.
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One of the treatments that have shown promise for treating cases of MDS is stem cell transplants; in most cases where the disorder is diagnosed, this will be the first follow-up treatment \u2013 and your doctor\u2019s first step after tests will be to locate a suitable stem cell donor to start the treatment.
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Your condition has to be assessed throughout this process to ensure that you remain in good health, and your doctor might make some adaptations to your treatment over time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

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