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Myelodysplastic Syndromes Treatment (PDQ®)

Patient Version
Last Modified: 09/27/2011

Treatment Options for Myelodysplastic Syndromes

De Novo and Secondary Myelodysplastic Syndromes
Previously Treated Myelodysplastic Syndromes

A link to a list of current clinical trials is included for each treatment section. Check with your doctor for clinical trials that are not listed here but may be right for you.

De Novo and Secondary Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Treatment of de novo and secondary myelodysplastic syndromes may include the following:

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with de novo myelodysplastic syndromes 1 and secondary myelodysplastic syndromes 2. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site 3.

Previously Treated Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Treatment of previously treated myelodysplastic syndromes may include the following:

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with previously treated myelodysplastic syndromes 4. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site 3.



Glossary Terms

azacitidine (ay-zuh-SY-tih-deen)
A drug that is used to treat myelodysplastic syndromes and is being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. It belongs to the family of drugs called antimetabolites. Also called Mylosar and Vidaza.
chemotherapy (KEE-moh-THAYR-uh-pee)
Treatment with drugs that kill cancer cells.
clinical trial (KLIH-nih-kul TRY-ul)
A type of research study that tests how well new medical approaches work in people. These studies test new methods of screening, prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of a disease. Also called clinical study.
de novo (deh NOH-voh)
In cancer, the first occurrence of cancer in the body.
decitabine (deh-SIH-tuh-been)
A drug that is used to treat myelodysplastic syndromes and is being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. It is a type of antimetabolite. Also called Dacogen.
dose (dose)
The amount of medicine taken, or radiation given, at one time.
drug (drug)
Any substance, other than food, that is used to prevent, diagnose, treat or relieve symptoms of a disease or abnormal condition. Also refers to a substance that alters mood or body function, or that can be habit-forming or addictive, especially a narcotic.
growth factor (grothe FAK-ter)
A substance made by the body that functions to regulate cell division and cell survival. Some growth factors are also produced in the laboratory and used in biological therapy.
high-dose chemotherapy (hy-dose kee-moh-THAYR-uh-pee)
An intensive drug treatment to kill cancer cells, but that also destroys the bone marrow and can cause other severe side effects. High-dose chemotherapy is usually followed by bone marrow or stem cell transplantation to rebuild the bone marrow.
myelodysplastic syndromes (MY-eh-loh-dis-PLAS-tik SIN-dromz)
A group of diseases in which the bone marrow does not make enough healthy blood cells. Also called preleukemia and smoldering leukemia.
stem cell (stem sel)
A cell from which other types of cells develop. For example, blood cells develop from blood-forming stem cells.
stem cell transplant (stem sel tranz-plant)
A method of replacing immature blood-forming cells in the bone marrow that have been destroyed by drugs, radiation, or disease. Stem cells are injected into the patient and make healthy blood cells. A stem cell transplant may be autologous (using a patient’s own stem cells that were saved before treatment), allogeneic (using stem cells donated by someone who is not an identical twin), or syngeneic (using stem cells donated by an identical twin).
supportive care (suh-POR-tiv kayr)
Care given to improve the quality of life of patients who have a serious or life-threatening disease. The goal of supportive care is to prevent or treat as early as possible the symptoms of a disease, side effects caused by treatment of a disease, and psychological, social, and spiritual problems related to a disease or its treatment. Also called comfort care, palliative care, and symptom management.
therapy (THAYR-uh-pee)
Treatment.
transfusion (tranz-FYOO-zhun)
A procedure in which a person is given an infusion of whole blood or parts of blood. The blood may be donated by another person, or it may have been taken from the patient earlier and stored until needed. Also called blood transfusion.

Table of Links

1http://www.cancer.gov/Search/ClinicalTrialsLink.aspx?Diagnosis=40812&tt=1&a
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2http://www.cancer.gov/Search/ClinicalTrialsLink.aspx?Diagnosis=41145&tt=1&a
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3http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials
4http://www.cancer.gov/Search/ClinicalTrialsLink.aspx?Diagnosis=41144&tt=1&a
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