Hey Lotusbud!
Danazol is an androgen -- synthetic testosterone. A few decades ago, it was often used for folks with Aplastic Anemia, and it seemed to help a small percentage of them.
Several folks on marrowforums (including yours truly) are enrolled in a clinical trial at the National Institutes of Health that is using Danazol to treat patients who have abnormally short telomeres on the ends of their chromosomes caused by a genetic mutation affecting the genes associated with telomerase (TERC and TERT). Some folks with this mutation wind up with AA, some with pulmonary fibrosis, some with cirrhosis of the liver, and some (me, at least) with MDS. And some don't have any apparent health effects.
The idea with this trial is that the androgen will stimulate the telomerase cycle and lengthen the stem cell telomeres, so they quit making lousy blood cells. Some test-tube studies at NIH have suggested this is possible.
You can read more about all this in
this thread, and
this thread.
The NIH trial is
here.
Aside from this whole genetic mutation-telomere angle, there's some evidence that androgens, including Danazol, can stimulate red blood cell production in much the same way as Aranesp and Procrit.
Take care!
Greg
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Greg, 59, dx MDS RCMD Int-1 03/10, 8+ & Dup1(q21q31). NIH Campath 11/2010. Non-responder. Tiny telomeres. TERT mutation. Danazol at NIH 12/11. TX independent 7/12. Pancreatitis 4/15. 15% blasts 4/16. DX RAEB-2. Beginning Vidaza to prep for MUD STC. Check out my blog at
www.greghankins.com