title: Impact on survival of different treatments for myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).
abstract: Therapies for myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) often achieve hematological responses but their impact on overall survival has generally not been evaluated. The Duesseldorf MDS Registry allowed us to perform matched-pair analyses to assess a possible survival benefit of treatment with thalidomide, valproic acid, low-dose Ara-C, antithymocyte globulin (ATG), induction chemotherapy, or allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT). For all treatment modalities, lengthening of survival was restricted to certain subgroups of patients. With the exception of allo-SCT, MDS treatment was generally palliative. Recently, epigenetic treatment with demethylating agents proved to be the first therapy that can significantly prolong survival in patients with higher-risk MDS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Oncology, and Clinical Immunology, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany. knachtkamp@t-online.de
authors.forename: Kathrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nachtkamp
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kündgen
authors.forename: Corinna
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Strupp
authors.forename: Aristoteles
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giagounidis
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kobbe
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gattermann
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Haas
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Germing
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy*; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D015996:Survival Rate; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D003561:Cytarabine; D013792:Thalidomide; D014635:Valproic Acid