ABSTRACT

Myelodysplastic syndromes, also referred to as preleukemic disorders, oligoblastic leukemia are a group of acquired blood disorders that often progress to acute leukemia and associated with a bone marrow that is typically normocellular or hypercellular with cells displaying overt morphologic abnormalities or dysplastic changes. Certain factors of MDS are genetic and congenital defects, radiation, benzen and alkylating agents. MDS is acquired disorders affecting the hematopoietic stem cells. MDS effects myeloid and, much less commanly, of lymphoid cell lineages. Ineffective hematopoiesis is a hallmark of MDS. Patients are often asymptomatic. It is not uncommon for the disease to be discovered accidentally during a routine physical examination or a blood test. The diagnosis of MDS in patients with unexplained cytopenias requires careful morphologic evaluation of the blood and bone marrow cells. Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation is the only curative treatment for MDS.