Survival Statistics for Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS)

Survival statistics are a way for doctors and patients to get a general idea of the outlook (prognosis) for people with a certain type of cancer. They can’t tell you how long you will live, but they might help give you a better understanding about how likely it is that your treatment will be successful.

Median survival  is one way to look at outcomes. It is how long after diagnosis half the patients in a certain group are still alive. This is a middle value – half the patients live longer than this, and half do not live this long.

Survival statistics don't tell the whole story

Survival stats are often based on previous outcomes of large numbers of people who had the disease, but they can’t predict what will happen in any particular person’s case. There are some limits to these numbers to keep in mind:

• The numbers are based on people diagnosed with a myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) some time ago. Improvements in treatment since these numbers were gathered may result in a better outlook for people now being diagnosed with MDS.

• These numbers are based on prognostic scores that take into account certain factors, such as the results of certain blood tests, and whether the abnormal cells have certain chromosome changes. But other factors might also affect a person’s outlook, such as their age and overall health, and how well the disease responds to treatment.
• The numbers here are based on people with MDS who were treated at major medical centers around the world. Most were treated in large European centers.

Your doctor can tell you how the numbers below apply to you.

Survival statistics for MDS

The following survival statistics for myelodysplastic syndromes are divided by the  Molecular International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS-M) risk groups. Again, it’s important to note that this system is based largely on people who were diagnosed with MDS and treated many years ago.

IPSS-M risk group	Median survival (years)
Very low	10.6
Low	6
Moderate low	4.6
Moderate  high	2.8
High	1.7
Very high	1

 

Remember, these survival statistics are only estimates – they can’t predict what will happen to any individual person. Many other factors can also affect a person’s outlook. We understand that these statistics can be confusing and may lead you to have more questions. Talk to your doctor to better understand your specific situation.