Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of conditions that involve the blood. Blood is made up of different types of cells. These cells are made in the middle of the bones, in a part called the bone marrow.

When people have MDS, their bone marrow does not work normally. It makes abnormal blood cells and does not make enough normal blood cells. This can cause symptoms.

Symptoms of MDS — some people with MDS have no symptoms. They might find out that they have MDS after they have blood tests for another reason.

Other people do have symptoms. They might:

• Feel weak, tired, or dizzy
• Have trouble thinking clearly
• Have trouble breathing
• Bruise or bleed more easily than usual
• Get infections more easily than usual

Test for MDS:

• Blood tests
• Bone marrow biopsy — during this procedure, a doctor removes a very small sample of the bone marrow. Then the doctor looks at the cells under a microscope to see if abnormal cells are present.

There are different types of MDS. The doctor will use the test results to figure out which type of MDS.

MDS treats by-the most part, on the type of MDS have, symptoms, and the age. Most treatments do not cure MDS. But treatments can improve symptoms and help people feel better.

Doctors usually treat MDS with 1 or more of the following:

• Blood transfusions — A blood transfusion is when a person gets blood that was given (donated) by another person.
• Medicines — Doctors can use different types of medicines to treat MDS. These medicines work in different ways. Some medicines help the bone marrow make more blood cells. Other medicines affect the body’s infection-fighting system.
• Chemotherapy — Chemotherapy is the term doctors use to describe a group of medicines that kill abnormal cells.
• Bone marrow transplant — This treatment uses chemotherapy or another treatment called radiation to kill the abnormal cells in the bone marrow. These dead cells are then replaced with “donor” cells. The “donor” cells can come from different places. They usually come from people whose blood matches. Bone marrow transplant is the only treatment that can cure MDS.