Myelodysplastic Syndromes in Childhood: Description of 11 Cases

Abstract

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) does occur in childhood, although much less often than in adulthood. The pediatrician may be confronted with children with bi- or pancytopenia whose illness either does not completely fulfill the criteria for aplastic anemia (AA) or has an extra laboratory abnormality which does not fit into the diagnosis AA. Since the description of MDS in the literature (1982) [1], many of these aplasia-like syndromes appear to fit into the MDS classification. MDS occurs in previously healthy children as well as in children with Down’s syndrome and Fanconi anemia. Therapy-related MDS, occurring before the age of 18 years, has not been described.

Department of Pediatrics, Leiden University Hospital, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands