Symptoms and Risk Factors of MDS
There might not be any visible signs and symptoms of myelodysplastic syndromes at first. As time goes on, you might experience symptoms such as:
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Unusual paleness (pallor), which occurs due to a low red blood cell count (anemia)
- Easy or unusual bruising or bleeding, which occurs due to a low blood platelet count (thrombocytopenia)
- Pinpoint-sized red spots just beneath the skin that are caused by bleeding (petechiae) [2]
- Frequent infections, which occur due to a low white blood cell count (leukopenia)
There are certain factors that can put one at a greater risk of getting myelodysplastic syndromes, they include:
- Older age. Most people with myelodysplastic syndromes are older than 60.
- Previous treatment with chemotherapy or radiation. Chemotherapy or radiation therapy, both of which are commonly used to treat cancer, can increase your risk of myelodysplastic syndromes.
- Exposure to certain chemicals. Chemicals, including benzene, have been linked to myelodysplastic syndromes.