One of the least known cancer forms is called Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS). This is also formerly known as ‘pre-leukemia’ but not anymore because the term is misleading.
With MDS, the bone marrow is hyperactive but does not produce the normal number of healthy blood cells in the bloodstream. When the disorder in the production of blood cells continued, the different types of blood cells will have an abnormal count and the bone marrow will begin to deteriorate. The MDS patient will have low or high amount of any or all of these blood cells (red, white, and platelet).
Although MDS syndrome can be genetic, particularly in children who develop the cancer, there are also environmental factors that have been known to cause abnormalities in healthy cells, creating cancer-causing ones. One known carcinogen is linked to MDS. This organic chemical is called benzene. It is found in gasoline, synthetic rubber, dyes, and plastics. The chemical is still used even when there are available alternative substances. People who had ingested, inhaled, and handled benzene over an extended period of time often acquired MDS. Continue reading ‘MDS Syndrome – The Truth About the Disease’ »