Secondary myelodysplastic syndromes develop following treatment with radiation therapy or chemotherapy for other diseases. Previously treated myelodysplastic syndromes Previously treated myelodysplastic syndrome means the disease has been treated but has gotten worse. Treatment option overview How myelodysplastic syndromes are treated There are treatments for all patients with myelodysplastic syndromes. 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.