[akita]

Hi John,

this needs not to be a therapy-related MDS at all. You should consult an MDS-Specialist. Then supposedly a bone marroy biopsy will be done, which will probably reveal the the more exact diagnosis. So far as i know it is not obligatory to have chromosomal changes for an t-MDS diagnosis. Also there exists a diagnosis called "secondary MDS". If you would have MDS after a history of lymphoma this could then be you diagnosis if not t-MDS. For me it is not clear if there is a big difference between the diagnoses. It depends on the special person...

Just today as i started to read abstracts of the this year Conference of the ASH- American Society of Hematology (info thanks to Birgitta) i found also a study report regarding the perspectives for therapy-related MDS - they tried to create a prognosis system especially for people with t-MDS. As i remember the study and after reading your former postings i am quite sure that you are in a good prognosis group ... if you really have got an MDS!

In my opinion - i was a similar case with other medicaments in the past which worsened my MDS-Prognosis and probably caused it - it is anyway a disadvantage for you having received lots of medicines/chemos in the past which burden the liver, the kidneys - in general your body.

But it is a big advantage for you that you are experienced as a patient, and that you have got such a helpful and nice support from your wife..

Also i would - after my limited experience with does far not know enough to councel you - check you copper counts, your cink counts, do an examination of your liver-enzymes and try to do something for your liver in time if necessary; your vitamin statuses inkl. Vitamin B12. VitaminB12 and Copper deficits could cause changes in the bone marrow and could be diagnosed as an MDS. High Zinc supplementation or counts can bring wrong Copper counts etc... It`s just for specialists... I will post some studies i recently read in another thread... All the best for your diagnosis and treatments!
Kind regards, Margarete