Myelodysplastic Syndromes: Incidence and Survival

Data from a U.S. cancer surveillance program indicate an incidence of about 3.5 cases per 100,000 per year.

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of bone marrow disorders that include refractory anemia, refractory anemia with ringed sideroblasts, and refractory anemia with excess blasts. MDS may present with leukopenia or thrombocytopenia in addition to anemia, and may transform into acute leukemia. In this report from SEER (a cancer surveillance program that represents approximately 26% of the U.S. population), researchers present an overview of MDS.

From 2001 through 2003, 7131 new cases of MDS were reported in the SEER database. The age-adjusted incidence of MDS was about 3.5 cases per 100,000 per year, which extrapolates to more than 10,000 cases annually in the U.S. The incidence was significantly higher in men than in women. The risk f…

Reviewing Author

Allan S. Brett, MD