Description
Despite the breakthroughs in the biology of cancer made in the past decade, the pathogenesis of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) remains obscure. Not surprisingly, the list of therapeutic approaches used in MDS is a long one; a vast array of drugs which interfere with normal or abnormal haemopoiesis have been used, with the overall results being less than satisfactory. Whereas a number of agents have been reported to have some effect on cytopenia and blast counts, none has been shown to prolong survival or change life quality in a consistent manner. In the majority of patients, supportive therapy remains the mainstay of treatment. While a biologically-founded treatment is awaited, in this review we summarise the current therapeutic options and attempt to outline rational strategies for the management of MDS.
