Myelodysplastic syndrome is a group of cancers where the immature blood cells are unable to mature and remain immature and unhealthy. This leads to the following conditions in humans:
Breathlessness (due to reduction in the number of RBCs leading to insufficient oxygen supply in the cells of the body)
- Tiredness (due to insufficient oxygen supply in the cells of the body)
- Recurrent infections (due to reduction of WBCs leading to weak immunity)
- Easy bleeding (due to reduction in the platelets and clotting factor)
Initially when the development of myelodysplastic syndrome takes, no symptoms are visible but it grows, the above symptoms start occurring.
Is There Any Surgery For Myelodysplastic Syndrome?
Myelodysplastic syndrome is a group of cancers in which the blood cells remain unhealthy or immature in the bone marrow. There is no kind of surgery which can treat myelodysplastic syndrome or a primary treatment of it because the term itself refers to the group of condition which interrupts the proper growth of RBCs, WBCs and platelets inside the bone marrow. The resultant condition is decline of the healthy blood cells leading to various conditions. To know about why the myelodysplastic syndrome cannot be treated with surgery or there is no proper treatment of it, we need to know more about myelodysplastic syndrome.(1)
Gene Mutation As The Main Cause Of Myelodysplastic Syndrome
The major cause of myelodysplastic syndrome is gene mutation. Any kind of mutation in the genes, due to any reason leads to development of myelodysplastic syndrome. Although this disorder is caused due to mutation in gene structure, but it is not a genetic disease, means it does not pass from one generation to others. The occurrence of disease depends on risk factors. There various risk factors which are responsible can lead to gene mutation and ultimately to MSD. There are specific genetic conditions and specific genes involved which are responsible for myelodysplastic syndrome.(2)
To know what leads to the mutation in genes we need to know about risk factors and what they are.
Who Is At Risk?
Risk factors are the agents or conditions which increases the chances of developing a disease in a person. It has been stated earlier that myelodysplastic syndrome is not inherited, but if the person is subjected to risk factors, the chances of developing myelodysplastic syndrome increases. Just like other types of malignancies there are various risk factors responsible for developing MSD. It is true that risk factors increase the chances of disease, but it should also be noted that being prone to risk factors always develops disease and being safe from risk factors cannot develop disease. The condition can be vice versa, means there will be some people who will never develop myelodysplastic syndrome in spite of being subjected to risk factors and there can be some people who will develop myelodysplastic syndrome even without being exposed to any kind of risk factors.(3)
- Age
- Gender
- Smoking
- Environmental Exposure
- Occupational Hazard
- Prior Chemotherapy or Radiation therapy
- Genetics
Treatment For Myelodysplastic Syndrome
It is sad to say that any kind of surgery is not a permanent solution for myelodysplastic syndrome, in fact there is no primary treatment for it and only the symptoms can be controlled. Moreover, the patients who are suffering from mild case of myelodysplastic syndrome can live maximum up to 5 years, and those who are suffering from acute myelodysplastic syndrome have a shorter life span. The patient has to live with the secondary treatment and the doctors can give a general idea that how long he would live.
Conclusion
There is no kind of surgery or a primary treatment which can treat myelodysplastic syndrome. It is because myelodysplastic syndrome is a group of cancers which interrupts the maturation and growth of RBCs, WBCs and platelets inside the bone marrow. This leads to related symptoms like breathlessness, tiredness, easy bleeding, and recurrent infections etc. The patients who are suffering from myelodysplastic syndrome have a limited life span.
Also Read:
- Myelodysplastic Syndromes or MDS: Treatment for Side Effects, Children with MDS
- Myelodysplastic Syndromes: Survival Rates, Prognosis, Recurrence, Remission, Lifestyle Changes, Prevention
- Coping with Myelodysplastic Syndromes & its Follow-Up Care
- How Do Myelodysplastic Syndrome Patients Die?
- How Long Can You Live With Myelodysplastic Syndrome?
- Is Myelodysplastic Syndrome A Fatal Disease?
- Recovery Period For Myelodysplastic Syndrome