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MDS Myelodysplastic syndromes

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Old Wed Mar 22, 2017, 05:45 AM
Bossywife Bossywife is offline
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RDW

So the past few months some of my husband's CBCs have gotten worse. WBC, Neutro, & Hemoglobin lower ... and RDW higher. "Higher" was weird to see on my spreadsheet. I rarely see anything in the "higher" colour (blue). (thanks again to the person who made the spreadsheet )

My husband works at a Cancer clinic and his doctor "friend" told him that RDW is not a big concern, that he needs to watch his MCV (which is currently fine). I know I should trust them and just move along, but seriously... why test RDW if it doesn't matter??

I think it's a conspiracy to weed out the crazy wives who overthink and try to decipher medical journals online in their spare time.

I might need help.
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Husband (61) dx RAEB1 Apr 2015 after long term bad CBCs (first discovered Apr 2008 after an unknown infection had him hospitalized), currently on watch & wait with monthly bloodwork. Myeloid Gene Panel testing done Aug 2017, showed nothing worrisome. CEBPA mutation
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Old Wed Mar 22, 2017, 09:22 AM
bailie bailie is offline
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My doctors focus on the platelets, WBCs, neutrophils and RBCs. I'm sure they look at the others but they very seldom come up in conversation.
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age 70, dx RAEB-2 on 11-26-2013 w/11% blasts. 8 cycles Vidaza 3w/Revlimid. SCT 8/15/2014, relapsed@Day+210 (AML). Now(SCT-Day+1005). Prepping w/ 10 days Dacogen for DLI on 6/9/2017.
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Old Wed Mar 22, 2017, 02:01 PM
Neil Cuadra Neil Cuadra is offline
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Here's my assumption: CBCs include a number of standard measurements, each of which matters to certain people in certain circumstances. If your husband had an unexplained low red count due to a vitamin deficiency, the RDW level might help identify it. With his present diagnosis, that's not relevant.
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Old Thu Mar 23, 2017, 12:12 AM
maggiemag maggiemag is offline
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RDW means red cell distribution width. Marked variation in red cell size causes increased RDW and is common in MDS, also referred to as anisocytosis. My RDW runs about 26-27 (range 11.6-13.7), and nobody cares a hoot, so I don't either. You have to look at the whole package.
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Margaret, age 68, dx MDS 5 q- 5/09- now RCMD; also MGUS. TP53 and TET2 mutations
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Old Thu Mar 23, 2017, 02:04 PM
DanL DanL is offline
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High RDW is used to identify possible vitamin deficiencies such as b12 or folate most commonly. It can also indicate hemolytic (destruction of cells) anemia, which is often present in MDS and other chronic diseases). I am going off of 25 year old memory, but I also believe that when marrow is under stress, it releases precursor red blood cells which are larger than fully mature cells, which can elevate RDW.
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MDS RCMD w/grade 2-3 fibrosis. Allo-MUD Feb 26, 2014. Relapsed August 2014. Free and clear of MDS since November 2014 after treatment with Vidaza and Rituxan. Experiencing autoimmune attack on CNS thought to be GVHD, some gut, skin and ocular cGVHD. Neuropathy over 80% of body.
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