Leukemia Lymphoma Cancer

Recent studies show that a mild form of chemotherapy with the use of decitabine, administered over a longer period of time, can have significantly advantageous results for patients diagnosed with pre-leukemia. More widely known as Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS), pre-leukemia was recognized as a certified form of cancer just recently.

The American Cancer Society's journal published this study in their latest issue, taking a more detailed look at pre-leukemia and its effects on the human body.

New Research Revelations

Researchers estimate than 45% of the patients with pre-leukemia symptoms and those who go through a relapse respond to a second treatment course. However, they did not get the duration and quality in their second round of treatment, compared to the first few rounds of chemotherapy. With the new findings, researchers are leaning towards the belief that initial treatments given over a longer duration may have more benefits compared to numerous chemotherapy rounds.

It was discovered in the study that an average of three rounds of decitabine treatment had 10 out of the 22 patients exhibiting any type of response. Seven of the patients were observed to have haematological improvements and experienced a 50% decrease in their need for tranfusions, while three of the patients partly or completely had an effect in every one of their three cell lines. Overall, the average survival rate was declared to be 28 months, with those patients treated again with decitabine having a 13-month rate of survival before suffering from any sort of relapse.

In the group where 12 of the patients did not have any response to decitabine, the treatment had one of these two results: no effect whatsoever or the abnormal cells' suppression, without the normal cells repopulating the bone marrow. Out of the 12 patients mentioned, four developed acute leukemia from the pre-leukemia.

The authors conclude that the most advantageous treatment type for pre-leukemia patients is the initial chemotherapy session given in longer durations, followed by maintenance of shorter treatment rounds.

Pre-leukemia

Pre-leukemia is an affliction that targets the bone marrow, resulting in an increased number of ineffective red and white blood cells. Usually, the cells blast and produce from the stem cells while multiplying in the blood stream, eventually killing the normal blood cells. This results in an irregular production of blood cells, causing fewer blood cells to form (which are needed to circulate and carry oxygen to different body parts).

Although therapy is readily available, pre-leukemia affects adults in their 50s, and researchers still have to find the ultimate cure. Patients suffering from pre-leukemia generally develop leukemia, or cancer of the blood cells. This study shows that this new DNA hypomethylating agent, decitabine, will have the most benefits for patients.

Previously known as pre-leukemia, myelodyslastia syndrome is a haematological condition that is made up of the inefficient red blood cell production and a host of other health complications. A lot of people are unfamiliar with myelodysplastia syndrome's details, although most know about leukemia, which is commonly the end-result of MDS.

MDS is an affliction of the bone marrow stem cell, which may result in ineffective and irregular blood production. This irregularity can result to irreversible problems in the blood-forming cells. The illness takes a course towards being chronic in most cases, and can slowly worsen because of steady bone failure. Research shows that an estimated 1/3 of the patients who have MDS can develop acute myelogenous leukemia within a couple of years of living with the condition.

Myelodysplastia Syndrome Diagnosis

According to researchers, the time of diagnosis for the myelodysplastia syndrome is on the average, between 60 and 75 years old. This disorder is more prevalent in males than in females, and is generally rare in children. Although a lot of the symptoms can lead to the detection of this condition, these are linked to other blood disorders; the symptoms are therefore not commonly linked to MDS until the later stages.

Some of myelodyspastia syndrome's symptoms include:

* Neutropenia - An increased vulnerability to infection

* Anemia - Chronic shortness of breath, chest pain and fatigue

* Thrombocytopenia - Increased vulnerability to bleeding

It is estimated that 50 percent of MDS-related deaths occur as a result of infection or extensive bleeding. Researchers everywhere are still hard at work in trying to find a cure for myelodysplastia syndrome, and for now patients can only rely on the treatments. It should be noted, though, that the type of leukemia that develops from MDS is in particular extremely resistant to different kinds of treatment.

Myelodysplastia Syndrome Detection

Due to its common and general symptoms, MDS can often be wrongly diagnosed, which is the reason why doctors have to examine the blood film and do a full blood count. These steps are necessary to eliminate other possible causes of the symptoms, such as B12, HIV or hepatitis. Doctors also do chromosomal studies that require fresh specimens, inducing the live cells tested to magnify the chromosomal staining.

Myelodysplastia Syndrome Origins

One of the known causes of MDS has to do with environmental factors, specifically the exposure radiation and to the toxic chemical benzene. Secondary MDS can also arise in patients who experience late toxicity, as a result of prolonged exposure to cancer treatments. It is now proven that MDS is a result of the bone marrow stem cell mutations; however the abnormalities responsible for these mutations are yet to be fully understood.