The myelodysplastic syndromes: a personal recollection of four decades of classification and prognostic scoring systems

Abstract

In 1976 the French–American–British (FAB) Leukemia Working Group proposed the first definitions of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), namely refractory anemia with excess blasts (RAEB) and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML). Subsequent publications resulted in additional subgroups that had prognostic significance. Incorporation of the subgroupings by the World Health Organization and additional fine tuning of the degrees of morphologic dysplasia and percentage of blasts have enhanced the classification. Several prognostic scoring systems have added degrees of cytopenia, cytogenetic aberrations and molecular genetic mutations that allow care providers to subdivide cases into lower, intermediate and higher grade categories.

Keywords::

• FAB group
• myelodysplastic syndrome
• International Prognostic Scoring System

Acknowledgements

My appreciation goes to the “FAB” members, Professor Nukhet Tuzuner and Drs. Jean Goasguen and Rami Komrokji for years of support and friendship, and to Ms. Phoebe Downing for valuable editorial support over the past two decades.

Potential conflict of interest

A disclosure form provided by the author is available with the full text of this article at www.informahealthcare.com/lal.