[bailie]

I have never heard of Vidaza causing an "early death". I have heard overwhelming evidence that it prolongs life with very few side effects. It has been more effective than almost any blood related drug on the market and has been proven effective for a long period of time. Do you have any evidence that it causes an "early death"? I would be interested since I am in my 13th month of using it.

The Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) Foundation says a study published this week in the Journal of Clinical Oncology concludes VIDAZA (azacitidine) “prolongs survival and is well tolerated” in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) - an aggressive form of leukemia that in many cases progresses from MDS. The study looked at older patients with a median age of 70. These are patients who have had “no truly adequate treatments,” however the study found that half of the patients treated with VIDAZA survived at least two years, compared to only 16% of patients who received conventional care. Nearly 13,000 AML patients are diagnosed each year in the United States.
The study also found that VIDAZA helped reduce the need for blood transfusions that are often required in AML. 41% of patients on VIDAZA achieved transfusion independence, compared to only 18% receiving conventional care. VIDAZA treatment also significantly reduced the number of days spent in the hospital, and reduced serious infections.

The findings come from a subset of an international study of VIDAZA that previously demonstrated improved survival in patients with higher-risk MDS. Both MDS and AML are malignant conditions of cells in the bone marrow. Previously, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommended VIDAZA and DACOGEN® as treatment options for AML patients over 60 years old.