Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Overview of guidelines on iron chelation therapy in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes and transfusional iron overload

  • Progress in Hematology
  • Transfusional iron overload and iron chelation therapy
  • Published:
International Journal of Hematology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Between 2002 and 2008, a number of consensus statements and guidelines were developed by various groups around the world to educate healthcare professionals on the treatment of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), including the management of transfusional iron overload with iron chelation therapy. Guidelines have been developed by The Italian Society of Hematology, The UK MDS Guidelines Group, The Nagasaki Group, The National Comprehensive Cancer Network, and The MDS Foundation. These guidelines show that the approaches to managing iron overload in patients with MDS are region specific, differing in their recommendations for when iron chelation therapy should be initiated and strategies for the ongoing management of iron overload. The guidelines all agree that red blood cell transfusions are clinically beneficial to treat the symptomatic anemia in MDS, and that patients with low-risk MDS receiving transfusions are the most likely to benefit from iron chelation therapy.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Cazzola M, Malcovati L. Myelodysplastic syndromes—coping with ineffective hematopoiesis. N Engl J Med. 2005;352:536–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Greenberg PL, Baer MR, Bennett JM, et al. Myelodysplastic syndromes clinical practice guidelines in oncology. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2006;4:58–77.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Aul C, Bowen DT, Yoshida Y. Pathogenesis, etiology and epidemiology of myelodysplastic syndromes. Haematologica. 1998;83:71–86.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Matsuda A, Germing U, Jinnai I, et al. Difference in clinical features between Japanese and German patients with refractory anemia in myelodysplastic syndromes. Blood. 2005;106:2633–40.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Gattermann N. Clinical consequences of iron overload in myelodysplastic syndromes and treatment with chelators. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am. 2005;19(Suppl 1):13–7.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Malcovati L, Della Porta MG, Pascutto C, et al. Prognostic factors and life expectancy in myelodysplastic syndromes classified according to WHO criteria: a basis for clinical decision making. J Clin Oncol. 2005;23:7594–603.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Alessandrino EP, Amadori S, Barosi G, et al. Evidence- and consensus-based practice guidelines for the therapy of primary myelodysplastic syndromes: a statement from the Italian Society of Hematology. Haematologica. 2002;87:1286–306.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Bowen D, Culligan D, Jowitt S, et al. Guidelines for the diagnosis and therapy of adult myelodysplastic syndromes. Br J Haematol. 2003;120:187–200.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. National Comprehensive Cancer Network. NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology—v.1.2008: Myelodysplastic Syndromes. http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/pdf/mds.pdf 2008.

  10. Gattermann N. Guidelines on iron chelation therapy in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes and transfusional iron overload. Leuk Res. 2007;31(Suppl 3):S10–S5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Gattermann N, Porter J, Lopes LF, Seymour J. Consensus statement on iron overload in myelodysplastic syndromes. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am. 2005;19(Suppl. 1):18–25.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Bennett JM, Catovsky D, Daniel MT, et al. Proposals for the classification of the myelodysplastic syndromes. Br J Haematol. 1982;51:189–99.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Vardiman JW, Harris NL, Brunning RD. The World Health Organization (WHO) classification of the myeloid neoplasms. Blood. 2002;100:2292–302.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Germing U, Strupp C, Kuendgen A, et al. Prospective validation of the WHO proposals for the classification of myelodysplastic syndromes. Haematologica. 2006;91:1596–604.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Greenberg P, Cox C, LeBeau MM, et al. International scoring system for evaluating prognosis in myelodysplastic syndromes. Blood. 1997;89:2079–88.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Malcovati L, Germing U, Kuendgen A, et al. Time-dependent prognostic scoring system for predicting survival and leukemic evolution in myelodysplastic syndromes. J Clin Oncol. 2007;25:3503–10.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Andrews NC. Disorders of iron metabolism. N Engl J Med. 1999;341:1986–95.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Hematology, Oncology and Clinical Immunology, Heinrich-Heine University, Moorenstr. 5, 40225, Dusseldorf, Germany

    Norbert Gattermann

Authors
  1. Norbert Gattermann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Norbert Gattermann.

About this article

Cite this article

Gattermann, N. Overview of guidelines on iron chelation therapy in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes and transfusional iron overload. Int J Hematol 88, 24–29 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12185-008-0118-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12185-008-0118-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation