refractory anemia with excess blasts in transformation (RAEB-T)

Epidemiology: -> 9% of cases of myelodysplastic syndrome Pathology: 1) circulating blasts > 5% 2) bone marrow blasts 20-30% 3) < 15% ringed sideroblasts in marrow 4) Auer rods may be present Management: -> prognosis: a) 11-75% (mean 48%) transformation to acute leukemia (AML) b) survival 5-12 months (mean 6 months)

References

Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 14th ed. Fauci et al (eds), McGraw-Hill Inc. NY, 1998, pg 677-78