Myelodysplastic Syndromes

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Patients with LR-MDS, particularly those with the highest rates of infection-related deaths, would benefit from close monitoring for infections. | Image credit: Saiful52 - stock.adobe.com

Infection Linked With Nearly a Quarter of Deaths in Lower-Risk MDS

By Rose McNulty

April 30th 2025

Infection was a leading cause of death in lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), highlighting the need for vigilant monitoring and preventive strategies.

Researchers analyzed matched cohorts of patients who received either decitabine-cedazuridine with venetoclax or decitabine-cedazuridine alone to determine how the addition of venetoclax impacts outcomes in higher-risk MDS and CMML. |Image credit: syahrir - stock.adobe.com

Adding Venetoclax to Decitabine-Cedazuridine Improves Response in MDS Subgroups

By Rose McNulty

April 25th 2025

Orca-T shows promise to reduce rehospitalization and improve outcomes in MDS and acute leukemias.| Image credit: Eleni - stock.adobe.com

Reduced Rehospitalizations and Potential Cost Savings With Orca-T for Acute Leukemia, MDS: Caspian Oliai, MD, MS

By Mary Caffrey
Caspian Oliai, MD, MS

April 11th 2025

ESA treatment before or early after regular transfusion therapy improved OS In lower-risk MDS, a new study found. | Image credit: MdBabul - stock.adobe.com

ESA Treatment Improves OS in Lower-Risk MDS

By Rose McNulty

March 28th 2025

A newly developed MDS scoring system has similar diagnostic accuracy to a more established, but also more elaborate, system, a new study found. | Image credit: syahrir - stock.adobe.com

ELN Scoring System Shows Similar Accuracy to iFS for MDS Diagnosis

By Jared Kaltwasser

March 26th 2025

More News

MDS | Image credit: Astex Pharmaceuticals

December 20th 2023

Data Show Trend Toward Improved Persistence After 6 Months With Oral MDS Regimen

The authors concluded that the data support consideration of the oral regimen of decitabine and cedazuridine to reduce the treatment burden associated with intraveous or subcutaneous hypomethylating agents in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).

Reblozyl | image credit: Bristol Myers Squibb

December 16th 2023

COMMANDS: Updated Data for Luspatercept for Treatment of Anemia in ESA-Naïve Patients With Lower-Risk MDS Presented at ASH

The data were presented December 9, 2023, during the 65th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition in San Diego, California.

Zeidan | Image credit: Yale Medical School

December 5th 2023

Imetelstat Offers Benefits for Patients With MDS Who Are Red Blood Cell–Transfusion Dependent

The past year has offered new hope for patients with lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes. Besides imetelstat, which has an FDA deadline for action of June 2024, the agency approved luspatercept, which has a different mechanism of action.

Women with MDS benefited from a 7-day dosing schedule | Image credit: Moffitt Cancer Center

November 30th 2023

7-Day Dosing of Azacytidine Shows Benefit for Females With High-Risk MDS Not Seen in Males

Investigators from several medical centers in Japan were surprised to find that women with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) had a survival advantage from a 7-day dosing schedule, but that benefit compared with a reduced schedule was not seen in men.

Red Blood Cells | Image credit: Design Cells - stock.adobe.com

November 27th 2023

Allogeneic HCT Provides OS Benefit Independent of TP53 Allelic Status in MDS

Patients with myelodysplastic syndrome harboring a TP53 mutation experienced a survival benefit with allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation compared with non-HCT treatment regardless of TP53 allelic status.

Blood cells flowing | Image credit: Катерина Євтехова - stock.adobe.com

November 23rd 2023

ESAs Do Not Improve Hb Levels in Lower-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome

Data from a retrospective study spotlight a need for more effective first-line and second-line clinical management strategies to improve outcomes in patients with lower-risk myelodysplastic syndrome.

MDS with ring sideroblasts | Girish Venkataraman, MD, MBBS; ASH Image Bank

November 9th 2023

Authors Support Trials of Triplet Therapy in Higher-Risk MDS

Given the likelihood of MDS to progress to acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the authors state, “There are certain settings where ‘AML-like’ therapies are appropriate in MDS, particularly given our evolving understanding of the overlapping biology of these malignancies.”

FDA Approved | Image credit: chrisdorney - stock.adobe.com

October 27th 2023

FDA Approves Ivosidenib in IDH1-Mutated MDS

Ivosidenib monotherapy is now approved by the FDA for patients with relapsed/refractory myelodysplastic syndrome with an IDH1 mutation.

Image Credit: Kurhan / Shutterstock

October 20th 2023

Higher Leptin Levels, Body Fat Linked to MDS in Study

The authors discussed a polymorphism of the LEP gene associated not only with cancer, but also with chronic diseases including obesity and diabetes, offering them a reason to look into the relationship between LEP and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).

Image Credit: Armed Forces Institute of Pathology

October 15th 2023

Comorbidity Index Predicts Vulnerability of Patients With Myelofibrosis

Investigators evaluated 70 patients in a retrospective study.

blood flowing

October 6th 2023

67% With MDS, AML From Fanconi Anemia Alive at 5 Years Following Allo-HSCT

The rare disease Fanconi anemia is an inherited bone marrow disorder linked to birth defects that leads to failure of bone marrow, the spongy material inside the bones where stem cells develop.

Blood cells flowing | Image credit: Катерина Євтехова - stock.adobe.com.jpg

September 25th 2023

Updates Are Driving the Field of MDS Forward, but Changes Still Needed

Laura Joszt, MA

In just the last 2 years there have been updates in classification, risk assessment, and response criteria in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), but additional efforts are needed to improve these, and there remains a need for better therapies.

Blood cells illustration | Image credit: Катерина Євтехова - stock.adobe.com

September 18th 2023

Flow Cytometry, Cytomorphological Features Correlate With MDS Prognosis

Characteristics including Ogata score and phenotypic aberrancies may correlate with mutational patterns that are predictive of treatment response in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome.

Blood flowing

August 31st 2023

Allogeneic HCT Improves Survival Rates for TP53-Mutated MDS

A recent study suggests that patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) could potentially benefit from allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) regardless of genetic mutation status.

FDA Approves Luspatercept as First-Line Anemia Treatment in Patients With Lower-Risk MDS

August 29th 2023

FDA Approves Luspatercept as First-Line Anemia Treatment in Patients With Lower-Risk MDS

The FDA has approved an expanded indication for luspatercept (Reblozyl) for the first-line treatment of anemia in patients with low-risk MDS who may require blood transfusions.

venetoclax

August 22nd 2023

Review: Venetoclax Plus HMAs Offer “Moderate” Benefit in AML/MDS After Relapse Post Transplant

There is no standard treatment in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) for patients who have a relapse following allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation.

August 18th 2023

FDA Accepts Filing for Priority Review for Ivosidenib to Treat IDH1-Mutated R/R MDS

The targeted therapy already has indications in acute myeloid leukemia.

hand holding vial of blood

August 9th 2023

Small Study Shows Utility of ctDNA for Monitoring Treatment Response, Evolution of MDS, AML

Investigators from China used circulating tumor DNA testing alongside bone marrow assessments to evaluate patients' pretreatment and posttreatment disease levels and to track the course of the disease.

data on screen representing a clinical trial

August 7th 2023

Gilead Discontinues Phase 3 ENHANCE Trial of Magrolimab/Azacitidine in Higher-Risk MDS

The phase 3 ENHANCE trial evaluating the first-line combination of magrolimab and azacitidine vs placebo plus azacitidine in patients with higher-risk myelodysplastic syndrome has been discontinued due to futility at a planned analysis.

Garcia-Mareno

July 29th 2023

Annual Clinical Update on MDS Sees Hope in Precision Medicine, Use of Oral Therapy

An overview of the 2023 recommendations on myelodysplastic syndromes by Guillermo Garcia-Mareno, MD, of MD Anderson Cancer Center, appears in the August issue of the American Journal of Hematology.

Clinical trial

July 27th 2023

Investigators Discontinue Trial Assessing Magrolimab Combo in Higher-Risk MDS

Investigators will submit data from the phase 3 ENHANCE trial evaluating magrolimab plus azacitidine in higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes for presentation at a future medical meeting.

Blood in Test Tubes

July 19th 2023

Common CVD Biomarkers May Hold Prognostic Value in MDS, Study Finds

The findings suggest that circulating N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide and growth differentiation factor-15, both soluble biomarkers of cardiovascular disease (CVD), may be indicators of the course of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and outcomes.

Study Explores Risk Factors for Therapy-Related MDS, AML Following HCT for Multiple Myeloma

July 14th 2023

Study Explores Risk Factors for Therapy-Related MDS, AML Following HCT for Multiple Myeloma

The occurrence of treatment-related myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) or acute myeloid leukemia (AML) after autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) for multiple myeloma was associated with aggressive disease characteristics and poor outcomes.

Elsa Bernard, PhD

July 7th 2023

Validating a New Scoring System in MDS for the Era of Next-Generation Sequencing

A well-regarded tool for predicting prognosis in myelodysplastic syndromes is updated to incorporate mutations and tested with real-world data.

Image of molecular profiling

December 25th 2022

Distinct Molecular Profiles in Younger vs Older Patients With MDS Identified in New Study

The relationship between aging and molecular profiles in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) is not well understood, but the findings suggest that different genetic alterations have distinct prognostic implications in different age groups.

blood cells floating around

December 22nd 2022

ICYMI: Top Content From EHA22

The 2022 European Hematology Association (EHA22) Congress convened June 9-12, 2022, in Vienna, Austria, and presented cutting-edge findings in hematology, including the potential of artificial intelligence, new treatment combinations in myelofibrosis, and more.

genetic mutations

December 18th 2022

ASXL1 Mutations Associated With Worse Prognosis in MDS and AML

A recent meta-analysis found ASXL1 mutations to be independent risk factors for worse overall survival and transformation to acute myeloid leukemia in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), as well as worse overall survival in acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Patrick Reville, MD, MPH

December 16th 2022

Dr Patrick Reville Covers Study Results on Venetoclax Combined With CLIA

Hayden E. Klein Justina Petrullo

Patrick Reville, MD, MPH, instructor, Department of Leukemia, MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses findings on an updated treatment regimen for newly-diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia and high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome.

patient with mds

December 12th 2022

Study Identifies Sex-Related Differences in MDS Phenotypes, Genotypes, and Outcomes

Authors of the observational cohort study developed and validated novel sex-informed prognostic and genomic scoring systems for patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).

blood test

December 9th 2022

Phase 3 Trials in High-Risk MDS Highlight Future Directions

A recent review emphasizes a need for novel therapies, summarizes current phase 3 clinical trials, and suggests several considerations for future trials in high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).

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