Does AA turn to MDS?

[edithr]

I guess anythings possible, but what are the odds that aplastic anemia will turn into mds?

By the way, it's because of my son's AA that I am beginning to have google-fu.

From Urban Dictionary: google-fu: The ability to use Google with a zen like prowess.

But before I use my google-fu, I thought I'd as the experts here. Thanks!

[Neil Cuadra]

Edith,

Physicians or medical researchers might have statistics about the evolution of AA to MDS (or to AML) but I haven't seen any recently. The studies that I've run across tend to be rather old. This article from 2005 reported long-term evolution of AA to MDS at 10% to 12%, but those results were from studies that took place over 10 years ago. It may also differ by age group.

When an AA patient is later diagnosed with MDS, two questions are likely to come up:

1. Did the AA evolve into MDS on its own or did the treatment for AA cause the MDS?
   
   
2. Was it MDS all along? MDS, especially hypocellular MDS, can appear to be AA, so it's possible for MDS to go unrecognized or misdiagnosed.

Both questions are hard to study. Diagnoses are based on all available information at the time. It evidence of MDS wasn't originally apparent then it's hard to know later if it wasn't present or if it was missed. Researchers can look at past data but can't set up the usual type of double-blind study where some AA patients would receive the recommended treatment and some wouldn't.

[triumphe64]

The second article on this page might be of interest to you. Interesting chart shows how these are intertwined for some people.

https://live.blueskybroadcast.com/bs...T=944&CAT=1031

[ssdavi71416]

I spoke to my Hematologist at Emory in Atlanta today concerning exactly the question you asked. She said it is very rare for AA to convert to MDS. My question was in relationship to the need for a BMB at the six month mark. The Dr said she would hold off on a BMB for now.