[SJF]

Hi All,

I by no means a medical expert, so I hope this makes sense.

My father (59) has just been diagnosed with RARS (low IPSS score 0), but I'm keen on getting other opinions after reading.

He mentioned a few months ago when he was tired all of the time that he has hemochromatosis (been diagnosed years ago, but has had no problems). He is still currently fatigued and feels like he hasn't slept at all after a solid nights sleep. The Oncologist has referred him to a sleep specialist?!

During the diagnosis of RARS he had blood draws to reduce the iron levels and was advised not to drink for 3 months (he smokes heavily also). I assume this was to rule out other other diagnoses?

He had a BMB and the results confirmed he has high iron levels and abnormally shaped large RBC's with sideroblasts (don't have his bloods handy at the moment). Everything else is normal and relatively stable over several months of tests (WBC and platelets etc). The pathology report suggests that it's probably RARS, as confirmed by his Oncologist (who probably just read the report).

So far he has been put on vitamin B and folate tablets and told by the Oncologist to come back in 3 months for blood tests. So from my reading I guess this is the watch and wait stage of MDS?

What I'm not sure on is if the oncologist know's about his past hemochromatosis diagnosis. Dad assures me that his GP would have advised him...I'm not so sure. I'm also not sure if this affects what's been discovered in the BMB.

From what you all understand on here, could it be anything other than MDS? From what I can read it seems odd to have hemochromatosis that turn's into MDS?

Please let me know if you need any more information to help answer/comment.

Cheers,

Sam.