Lenalidomide is a capsule that is taken by mouth. It is approved for treating low-risk, transfusion-dependent myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients with an abnormality of chromosome 5q. It is currently in clinical trials to test its efficacy with a broader range of MDS patients. For some MDS patients, lenalidomide can improve
Epoetin alfa can help improve red blood cell counts in
Eculizumab (Soliris ®) is given as an IV into a vein at the doctor’s office or at a special center. The procedure usually takes about 35 minutes. You will probably get an IV once a week for the first 4 weeks. Starting in the 5th week, you will get a slightly higher dose of Soliris every 2 weeks.
Eculiziumab has many benefits. It has been found to:
Deferiprone is in a class of medications called iron chelators. It works by attaching to iron in the body so that it can be excreted (removed from the body).
It comes in a tablet form which is dissolved in juice or water and taken by mouth. Iron build-up can occur in patients who get a lot of red blood cell transfusions. Deferasirox binds with the iron in the body and is removed by the kidneys.
It works by reducing the amount of methylation in the body. Methylation is a process that acts like a switch to turn off or “silence” genes in certain cells. When these genes (called tumor suppressor genes) are turned off, MDS cells and cancer cells can grow freely. Decitabine is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating all MDS subtypes, though it is used most commonly to treat higher-risk MDS.
It is in a class of medicines called erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs). Darbepoetin alfa can help improve red blood cell counts in