It is true that some forms of sideroblastic anemia may progress to
leukemia. This happens in fewer than ten percent of cases, and when it
occurs, the process is very slow, sometimes taking decades. The drug
that you're taking, Procrit (epoetin alfa), is an excellent one, but
it is not yet known whether the use of this drug will prevent the
possible transition of sideroblastic anemia to leukemia.
I've gathered some online information for you. For reasons of
copyright, I cannot post more than a brief excerpt from each of these
pages; you may want to read the articles in their entirety for a more
in-depth understanding.
"Sideroblastic anemia is an enzyme disorder in which the body has
adequate iron but is unable to incorporate it into hemoglobin. Iron
enters the developing red blood cell (erythroblasts); here iron
accumulates in the mitochondria giving a ringed appearance to the
nucleus (ringed sideroblast). The mitochondria are overloaded with
iron and hemoglobin production (heme synthesis) is defective.
Sideroblasts are visible with Prussian blue staining and observable
under microscopic examination of bone marrow. Because these ringed
sideroblasts can develop poorly or not at all into mature red cells,
anemia is the consequence...
Leukemia such as acute granulocytic leukemia can develop as a result
of acquired sideroblastic anemia. Myelodysplasic syndromes (MDS) are
generally observed in the early pre-leukemic stages of disease."
Iron Disorders Institute: Sideroblastic Anemia
http://www.irondisorders.org/disorders/sba/
"Sideroblastic anemia is one of the principal types of
iron-utilization anemia. Abnormal, iron-saturated red cells are
present in the blood of people who have this disease. Although the
iron circulates normally from the plasma to the bone marrow, where new
red blood cells are created, it is not properly incorporated into new
red blood cells.
Sideroblastic anemia can be inherited, but the disease is usually
acquired as a result of illness or exposure to toxic substances.
Sideroblastic anemia of unknown origin may lead to leukemia. It may
take as long as 10 years for this disease progression to take place."
Genesis Health System: Sideroblastic anemia
http://www.genesishealth.com/micromedex/detaileddisease/00065210.aspx
"Sideroblastic anemias are a group of disorders in which hemoglobin is
insufficiently synthesized, because of defective use of iron (although
plasmatic iron levels may be normal or elevated)... Acute leukemia is
an unfrequent and late outcome (<10%)."
The GAPS Index: Anemia, Sideroblastic
http://www.icomm.ca/geneinfo/anemsid.htm
"10% of patients with Acquired Sideroblastic Anemia develop AML [acute
myelogenous leukemia]."
Medical University of South Carolina: MYELODYSPLASTIC DISORDERS
http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:cOC4hda47i0J:hcc1.musc.edu/hemonc/presentations/myeldiso.wpd
One of the best websites I know of for patients who've been diagnosed
with this condition is DucksAndCats.com. The site was created by Leah
Robin, whose family has been affected by sideroblastic anemia. You'll
find a wealth of information here:
MDS and Sideroblastic Anemia
http://www.duckandcats.com
An excellent page about various social and personal aspects of living
with sideroblastic anemia:
MDS and Sideroblastic Anemia: Social and personal aspects
http://www.duckandcats.com/social.htm
A list of useful resources:
MDS and Sideroblastic Anemia: MDS and Sideroblastic Anemia resources
http://www.duckandcats.com/resources.htm
Google Web Search: "sideroblastic anemia" + "leukemia"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22sideroblastic+anemia%22+leukemia
I hope this information is helpful. Please keep in mind that Google
Answers is not a source of authoritative medical advice, and the
material I've presented should not be viewed as a diagnosis nor as a
substitute for the services of a qualified medical professional. Let
me know if anything is unclear; I'll be glad to offer further
assistance before you rate my answer.
Best wishes,
pinkfreud |
