MDS

[mike b.]

Hi All, It's been a while since I last wrote but I had another Bone Marrow test at Moffitt done on the 18th of march to confirm that I do have MDS and not Itp as some thought I had.My blasts are at 2.5 which I guess are fine but I really don't understand what a blast is and I now have red blood cells that are changing shape and don't really know what's going on there either. I have blood work weekly and my platelets are up to 62,000 last week up from 52,000 the week before. I really don't want to have to take predisone again as it really did a number on me last time but I guess that's the only thing that helps at this time with the platelets . My platelets are the only thing affected by this disease but will it go after the other cells as time goes by and what is my prognosis ?:

[Birgitta-A]

Hi Mike,
Blast cells are immature cells. Here is a link to MDS Foundaton's handbook about MDS http://www.mds-foundation.org/pdf/handbook-english.pdf

You know all statistics about prognosis in MDS were done before the patients were treated with EPO for low red blood cells, Neupogen or similar drugs for low white blood cells, Exjade or similar drugs for iron overload, Revlimid, Vidaza, Dacogen, Epival and other new drugs. Patients today have a better prognosis than 5 years ago .

Hope your red blood cells and white blood cell counts will continue to be OK!
Kind regards
Birgitta-A

[mike b.]

Thanks for the information . I had bloodwork done again this a.m. and will get the results on wednesday from Moffitt. The reading material you advised me to read was very informative and I think finally I somehow know what's going on with my body. Thank You again !