Vitamins or other drugs may also be given to treat anemia. Chemotherapy and biological therapy are being tested in clinical trials. Chemotherapy uses drugs to treat disease. Chemotherapy may be taken by pill, or it may be put into the body by a needle in the vein or muscle. Chemotherapy is called a systemic treatment because the drug enters the bloodstream, travels through the body, and affects cells throughout the body.
Biological therapy tries to get the body to fight disease.
It uses materials made by the body or made in a laboratory to boost, direct, or restore the body's natural defenses against disease. The healthy marrow is given to the patient through a needle in the vein, and the marrow replaces the marrow that was destroyed. A bone marrow transplant using marrow from a relative or person not related to the patient is called an allogeneic bone marrow transplant. The choice of treatment depends on the type of myelodysplastic syndrome, and the patient's age and general health. Standard treatment may be considered because of its effectiveness in patients in past studies, or participation in a clinical trial may be considered.