In the condition myelodysplastic syndrome, or MDS, the bone marrow does not create sufficient numbers of healthy blood cells, including red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. The bone marrow creates immature blood cells, which die early; this leads to low blood cell counts in the circulating blood. The majority of MDS cases occur in people over 60 years old, according to the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center website. Chemotherapy drugs are available for treating patients with MDS; however, there are several non-chemotherapy drugs that may be a part of the regimen for managing MDS.
Drugs to Manage Iron Overload
Because there are low levels of red blood cells, white blood cells or platelets in MDS, one treatment is to replace the missing cells with transfusions. Patients who receive multiple transfusions need to be monitored for too much iron in the body or iron overload. Iron overload is treated with medications that remove excess iron from the blood. Examples of these medications are deferasirox, brand name Exjade, and deferoxamine mesylate, brand name Desfera, according to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society website. Deferasirox is a medication that is taken by mouth once a day; deferoxamine is given under the skin or in the muscle every eight to 12 hours a day for five to seven days a week.
Growth Factors
The hormone-like substances called hematopoietic growth factors can be prescribed to stimulate the bone marrow to create more blood cells. Erythropoietin or darbepoetin alfa are growth factors that promote the production of red blood cells; the growth factors, granulocyte colony stimulating factor and granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor can increase the numbers of white cells produced and should only be used in patients who are having infections, as noted on the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center website.
Immunosuppresants
Immunosuppressant therapies can improve blood cell counts in some patients with MDS, according to the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center website. One medication is antithymocyte globulin, or ATG; this medication works on T-lymphocytes, which may interfere with normal blood cell production. It has to be given in a hospital because it can cause allergic reactions. Another immunosuppressant medication is cyclosporin, which blocks the response of the immune system; side effects with this medication include kidney damage and loss of appetite.
Antibiotics
Since the blood cell counts can be low, patients with MDS can be at risk for infections; these patients may need antibiotic treatment depending on the location of the infection and the type of infection, as noted on the Cedars-Sinai website.
Lenalidomide
Lenalidomide, or Revlimid, is a medication that can be used in patients with MDS who have a genetic abnormality whereby they are missing a part of chromosome number 5, according to MayoClinic.com. This medication lowers the need for blood transfusions in the patients with the genetic abnormality, and up to 75 percent will no longer need transfusions, according to the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center website. Side effects of this medication are decreased blood counts, constipation and fatigue.
