Hi Kim,
Too bad that your dad has MDS and heart trouble. You didn´t write anything about the results of the last blood work. What is his HGB, WBC count, platelets and S-ferritin?
You know when his blood marrow doesn´t produce RBC he gets blood transfusions and when it doesn´t produce WBC he should get Neupogen or Neulasta. There is no other medication for low platelets now than platelet transfusions but new drugs like AMG 531 are hopefully coming during spring 2008.
MD Anderson Cancer Center is perhaps the best hospital in the world for cancer diseases. If you look at their site
http://www.mdanderson.org/diseases/mds/ you will find that they recommend Vidaza, Revlimid or Dacogen for MDS. They try many other drugs like Neoral (cyclosporine), Zolinza and Depakene (valproic acid - adverse effect on the liver) in MDS patients.
Your dad is perhaps too tired to participate in clinical trials othewise you coold look at the site for trials at the Clinical Trials site
http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct/search;...66046?term=MDS
Kind regards
Birgitta
MDS, Intermediate-1, dx May 2006, transfusion dependent, Desferal, Neupogen, Prednisolone 5 mg/day. Still free from symptoms.