Tiffany N. Tanaka, MD, is a board-certified hematologist hematologist: (hee-muh-TOL-uh-jist) A doctor who specializes in treating blood diseases and disorders of blood producing organs. specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of blood cancers and blood disorders, with an emphasis on myeloid malignancies. Dr. Tanaka provides an overview of the diagnostic and treatment considerations for patients who have aplastic anemia aplastic anemia: (ay-PLASS-tik uh-NEE_mee-uh) A rare and serious condition in which the bone marrow fails to make enough blood cells - red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. The term aplastic is a Greek word meaning not to form. Anemia is a condition that happens when red blood cell count is low. Most… and hypoplastic MDS. This overlapping set of bone marrow failure bone marrow failure: A condition that occurs when the bone marrow stops making enough healthy blood cells. The most common of these rare diseases are aplastic anemia, myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). Bone marrow failure can be acquired (begin any time in life) or can be… diseases raises critical questions for patients and health care professionals.