Signs and Symptoms of Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS)

People with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) may have one or more of the symptoms or signs below. Symptoms are changes that you can feel in your body. Signs are changes in something that can be seen or measured, like your blood pressure or the results of a lab test.

Sometimes, a person with MDS might not have any signs or symptoms. Instead, MDS is found when they have an abnormal result (typically a low blood cell count) when a blood test is done as part of a routine exam or for some other health reason.

Symptoms from having too few blood cells

A main feature of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) is that they cause low blood cell counts. Symptoms from shortages of one or more types of blood cells (cytopenias) are often the first sign of MDS.

Having too few red blood cells (anemia) can lead to symptoms such as:

• Feeling tired, dizzy, or weak
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Skin that is paler or lighter than normal (which might be harder to see on people of color)

Having too few white blood cells (leukopenia), especially too few cells called neutrophils (neutropenia),  can lead to frequent or severe infections.

Having too few  blood platelets (thrombocytopenia) can lead to:

• Easy bruising or bleeding
• Tiny purple spots on the skin
• Frequent or severe nosebleeds
• Bleeding from the gums

Other possible symptoms of MDS

Other symptoms can include:

• Fever
• Bone pain
• Loss of appetite

• Weight loss

These symptoms are more likely to be caused by something other than MDS. Still, if you have any of these symptoms, especially if they don’t go away or get worse over time, see your doctor so that the cause can be found and treated, if needed.