title: Are myelodysplastic syndromes underdiagnosed in Poland? A report by the Polish Adult Leukaemia Group.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The epidemiology of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) differs among countries. Here, we present the first epidemiological indices determined for Poland.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one haematological centres participated in the study. Patients diagnosed with MDS and acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) with 20-29% blasts were enrolled. Data collection was conducted for strictly predefined period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall crude incidence rate for all MDS subtypes was 1.95 (95% CI, 1.81-2.09) per 100 000 person-years: 2.46 (95% CI, 2.24-2.69) for males and 1.47 (95% CI, 1.31-1.65) for females; after excluding AML cases, the indices were as follows: 2.35 (95% CI, 2.08-2.66) for males and 1.27 (95% CI, 1.08-1.5) for females. Prevalence rate was 6.2 per 100 000 persons (95% CI, 5.96-6.45), that is 6.86 (95% CI, 6.49-7.24) for males and 5.58 (95% CI, 5.26-5.92) for females. Both incidence and prevalence increased with increasing age. The most frequently diagnosed MDS subtype was refractory cytopenia with multilineage dysplasia (RCMD), responsible for 30.3% of all newly diagnosed MDSs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RCMD is the most frequent MDS subtype in Poland. Incidence and prevalence indices are lower than those reported for other populations, which probably results from inadequate diagnosis of potential cases of this disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Oncology and Internal Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Joanna E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Drozd-Sokołowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Oncology and Internal Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mądry
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Oncology and Internal Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Waszczuk-Gajda
authors.affiliation: Educational Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Żółtak
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Institute of Haematology and Transfusion Medicine, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sikorska
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology and Transplantology, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mital
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Military Medical Institute in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Jarosław
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wajs
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Bydgoszcz, Poland.
authors.forename: Grażyna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Semeńczuk
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Medical University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szmigielska-Kapłon
authors.affiliation: Haematology Department, Specialist General Hospital, Toruń, Poland.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Szczepańska
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Medical University of Białystok, Białystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wasilewska
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Ludwik Rydygier Hospital, Cracow, Poland.
authors.forename: Paweł
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Szwedyk
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Voivodal Specialist Hospital in Legnica, Legnica, Poland.
authors.forename: Jadwiga
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hołojda
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Świętokrzyskie Cancer Centre, Kielce, Poland.
authors.forename: Marzena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wątek
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Beata
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stella-Hołowiecka
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematooncology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soroka-Wojtaszko
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Diseases and Haematology, Voivodal Specialist Hospital in Słupsk, Słupsk, Poland.
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Homenda
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Non-Public Hospital, Zamość, Poland.
authors.forename: Mirosław
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Polak
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland.
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guzicka-Kazimierska
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology and Haematology, Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of the Interior, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Porowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Oncology and Internal Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Wiesław
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wiktor-Jędrzejczak
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Oncology and Internal Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Jadwiga
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dwilewicz-Trojaczek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: incidence; myelodysplastic syndrome; prevalence