Robin Roberts, the co-anchor of “Good
Morning America” underwent a bone marrow transplant on Thursday to treat
Myelodysplatic Syndrome (MDS). She was diagnosed of MDS in April this year five
years after battling and surviving breast cancer.
Myelodysplatic syndrome, which was formerly
known as preleukemia, is a disease of the blood and bone marrow. It is
characterised by a relative failure of production of red cells, the granulocyte
and platelets despite the inappropriate hypercellular marrow. It is thought to
be due to problems with differentiation or maturation of blood cells.
There are two major types:
1. Primary MDS which is the most common and has no known cause.
2. Secondary MDS – this may be due to chemotherapy or radiotherapy used
in the treatment of malignancies.
Due to the previous history of breast
cancer and the use chemotherapy and radiotherapy as treatment modality, Robin Roberts
was diagnosed of secondary MDS.

It is commoner in elderly patients but may
occur in young people who have been exposed to chemotherapy, radiotherapy and
other environmental exposures mentioned above.
Patients with MDS often develop severe
anaemia and require frequent blood transfusions. Affected patients usually have
fever, general body weakness, anaemia, bleeding tendencies, fatigue and
dyspnoea. The spleen may also be bigger than normal.
The definitive diagnosis of MDS is made
from blood films: peripheral blood films usually shows normocytic and
normochromic anaemia: and the bone marrow shows the characteristic changes of
dyserythropoiesis (with ring sideroblasts), dysgranulopoiesis and
dysmegakaryosis.
The goals of treatment of MDS are to
control symptoms, improve quality of life, improve overall survival, and
decrease progression of the disease.
Three agents that have been approved by the
U.S. food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of MDS include
5-azacytidine, Decitabine, and Lenalidomide.
However, however, stem cell transplantation
offers potentials for curative therapy especially in younger patients. This is
exactly what Robin Roberts got.
The bone marrow cells that Robin got were
donated by her sister whose cells have earlier been confirmed to match that of
Robin.
The entire crew of Staying Healthy Plus joins
Robin Roberts’ fans and all the fans of “Good Morning America” to wish her quick
recovery.
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