- Clonal stem cell disorder leading to ineffective hematopoeisis and cytopenias
- Marrow is hypercellular, but cells made are abnormal and die prior to leaving
- Can be primary problem or secondary to chemotherapy/other disorders that affect BM function
- Radiation exposure, prior chemotherapy
- Benzene or toxin exposures
- Asx until anemia→ fatigue, sob, doe, weakness/falls, other
- Progresses over years
- Low plt or low/abnormal WBC can cause bleeding, infection
- Risk of transformation to AML
- Sometimes tachycardia (anemia), fever (infection), other VS changes based on magnitude of illness
- Someties mucosal bleeding, ecchymoses, petechiae if significant thrombocytopenia
- Don't typically have adenopathy, splenomegaly, other organ enlargement
- Anemia is main cause of sx (w/elevated MCV); thombocytopenia, leukopenia (neutropenia)
- Diagnosis made by bone marrow bx