Most therapies for lower-risk MDS do not impact the cause of disease, allowing proliferation of malignant stem and progenitor cells to continue2,3,6,9
Malignant proliferation drives ineffective hematopoiesis in lower-risk MDS1,2,27
For patients with lower-risk MDS, normal blood cell production in bone marrow is disrupted by malignant and/or dysfunctional hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells.27
The expansion of malignant and dysfunctional cells further drives ineffective hematopoiesis2
Malignant stem and progenitor cells proliferate indefinitely inside the bone marrow, creating an imbalance where malignant and dysfunctional cells eventually crowd out normal progenitor cells and disrupt normal hematopoiesis.1,2
Many patients with lower-risk MDS will eventually progress since their treatments do not address ineffective hematopoiesis.2
AML, acute myeloid leukemia; MDS, myelodysplastic syndromes.