In this review of treatment options for higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) patients, the authors discuss chemotherapy therapies such as the hypomethylating agents azacitidine and decitabine, which they recommend administering for a minimum of six cycles, and continued for as long as a patient is responding. They note that higher-risk eligible patients should be offered consultation to discuss allogeneic HCT soon after time of diagnosis, and recommend proceeding to transplantation soon after an optimal donor is located. To prevent disease progression prior to transplantation, the authors recommend either hypomethylating agents, induction chemotherapy, or a clinical trial.
Sekeres MA, et al. Blood
Blood “How I Treat” Series: Higher-Risk MDS
Jan 2014