[gipper]

Hi Tom,

I expect you're aware that a diagnosis of MDS is a diagnosis of exclusion. There simply isn't a single test that confirms that a patient has MDS. Your doctor has to make the call based on all the evidence. I've only had two bone marrow biopsies - one in 9/04 and another in 3/09. In the first report the pathologist wrote conditions such as myelodysplasia or myeloproliferative disorders cannot be ruled in or out. However, my hematologist made the call of MDS and it wasn't long before I started receiving transfusions of red blood cells. Both of the biopsies found normal blasts and cytogenics - initial blast count was 2% and second 4% (5% or less is normal). While those features are good prognosis-wise, my age and current HGB and platelet counts are unfavorable. MD Anderson, one of the associated centers of excellence modified the IPSS scoring system to include the features previously mentioned. Here's the link:

http://www.mdanderson.org/patient-an...ome/index.html

Bill F