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MDS is considered a form of cancer at some treatment centers and not at others. There are biological similarities and differences between MDS and the well-known forms of cancer. MDS can be a precursor to leukemias such as acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia (CMML), which are always considered cancers, but MDS falls into more of a gray area.
Patients and their families may have a different reaction to an MDS diagnosis when it's called cancer because of what they know about other forms of cancer, but the classification of the disease doesn't affect the prognosis or treatment. However, the classification may have an effect on insurance coverage if there are specific provisions for cancer in the policy.
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