| Introduction
Measuring
WBCs
Myeloid
Leukemias
Lymphoid
Leukemias
Sources
of Error
Quiz
Please |
|
Changes
in the peripheral blood of patients with MDS.
-
RBC abnormalities
-
Macrocytic RBCs
-
Odd shaped RBCs (poikilocytes)
-
"Dimorphic" population of RBCs
-
Platelet abnormalities
-
Giant platelets
-
Thrombocytopenia
-
WBC abnormalities
-
Monocytosis
-
Myeloblasts may be present,
but <10% of WBC count.
Prognosis of patients with MDS.
-
With the idiopathic variety
there is generally a slow course and up to 50% are asymptomatic.
-
Between 10% and 40% eventually
progress to AML
-
Of those who don't die with
overt leukemia, many die with
-
Hemorrhage because of
the thrombocytopenia
-
Infections secondary
to neutropenia
-
In the case of t-MDS,
the outlook is much worse.
-
Cytopenias are worse and there
is rapid progression to AML
Onward to chronic
myeloproliferative disorders.
Back |