What is myelodysplasia?
Myelodysplasia or Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) are a group of diseases that originate in an early blood-forming cell in the marrow. In patients with this disorder, the marrow produces too few red blood cells, white blood cells and often platelets. In the myelodysplastic syndromes, the maturing blood cells often die in the marrow before they reach full maturity and enter the blood, accounting for the low blood cell concentrations. There may also be an accumulation of very immature marrow cells, called leukemic blast cells. It is not cancer, although about 20-30% of cases may progress to leukemia.
