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.

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

• Supportive care with transfusion therapy.
• High-dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant using stem cells from a donor.
• Supportive care with growth factor therapy.
• Chemotherapy with azacitidine, decitabine, or other anticancer drugs.
• Supportive care with drug therapy.
• A clinical trial of a new anticancer drug.
• A clinical trial of low- dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant using stem cells from a donor.
• A clinical trial of a combination of treatments.
• A clinical trial of growth factor therapy.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry 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.

Treatment of previously treated myelodysplastic syndromes may include the following:

• High-dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant using stem cells from a donor.
• Chemotherapy with azacitidine or decitabine.
• Supportive care with transfusion therapy, growth factor therapy, and/or drug therapy.
• A clinical trial of low- dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant using stem cells from a donor.
• A clinical trial of new drug therapy.
• A clinical trial of a combination of treatments.
• A clinical trial of growth factor therapy.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry 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

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.

Treatment with drugs that kill cancer cells.

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.

In cancer, the first occurrence of cancer in the body.

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.

The amount of medicine taken, or radiation given, at one time.

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.

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.

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.

A group of diseases in which the bone marrow does not make enough healthy blood cells. Also called preleukemia and smoldering leukemia.

A cell from which other types of cells develop. For example, blood cells develop from blood-forming stem cells.

A method of replacing immature blood-forming cells that were destroyed by cancer treatment. The stem cells are given to the person after treatment to help the bone marrow recover and continue producing healthy blood cells.

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.

Treatment.

The infusion of components of blood or whole blood into the bloodstream. The blood may be donated from another person, or it may have been taken from the person earlier and stored until needed.