Smoking and MDS and WBC Counts

[Synestry]

Hello,

My mother in law was recently diagnosed with MDS. Unfortunately, she is a smoker and has no plans of quitting. I know the research is inconclusive as to whether or not smoking causes MDS but I know it nearly doubles the likelihood of someone with MDS getting leukemia. Does anyone know if there is any new research regarding smoking, MDS, and leukemia?

The other question I have is, she was diagosed with MDS at the beginning of this year. She just went in for another blood test and her white blood cell count was more elevated than the last time. What does this mean?

Thank you,
Syn

[choijk]

Syn,

Welcome to the forum. I am so sorry for your MIL’s recent MDS diagnosis. My dad smoked up until January 13th of this year before he fainted when his hgb was at a 5.7. He did quit the next day after decades of smoking. I didn’t know that smoking caused the liklihood of leukemia from MDS. Is there a link perhaps that I can read upon? Although the research is inconclusive, I can’t help but wonder if it was the smoking that caused my dad’s MDS. It keeps me up at night because I wish I could have done something to have made him quit a lot longer ago.

In regards to the wbc being more elevated, I unfortunately, do not know the answer. However, hopefully others on this forum perhaps can give you some insight. However, was it out of the normal wbc range? Or was it just elevated from the last time?

[Jimbob]

Syn,
I was told that a history of smokeing can lead to problems at the cellular level. I had quit smoking 10 years before DX with CMML. The problem with ongoing smoking is that with MDS the blood often becomes less able to carry oxygen throughout the body and smoking makes it even more difficult. As a former smoker, and the cost is just another reason to quit. Use the money to get better nutrition instead.
Jim

[Synestry]

Hi June and Jim,

Thank you for responding. You know June, even if it was the smoking, there’s nothing you could have done. MDS seems to be a very strange disease with little known about it. The research I found was under the American Cancer Center. I went to Google and typed in MDS and smoking and it was the first link that popped up.

Jim, unfortunately for me and the rest of the family, my mil is VERY stubborn and will not stop smoking. I don’t understand it. She is not on any meds. for MDS, she is in her 50’s and is writing it off as a fluke that she has the disease because it usually affects people older than her.

I don’t know about the ranges of white blood cells and such. I know she has really bad bruising, anemia, and a low red blood cell count. I just don’t know if the elevated wbc count means that the disease is progressing or if it means anything at all. The dr. doesn’t say much.

Syn

[nursemack]

Syn,
Do you know what her WBC count was? It’s normal for it to fluctuate a little, and her total WBC’s aren’t necessarily what you need to worry about unless they are very high or very low, and even then it’s the part of her CBC that’s called the differential-they divide all the different WBC’s into the neutrophils, monocytes, eosinophils, lymphocytes, etc., that the doctors take into account more so than the total WBC’s. If you could get that info, I could explain it better to you. Even though I’m an RN, I’ve learned way more about blood work than I ever cared to know about since Delaney starte getting sick a couple of months ago. I’ll help you understand as best I can…Good luck and to echo everyone else, there’s nothing you can do to get someone to stop smoking. They have to WANT to quit.

[Synestry]

Rachel,

I don’t know what her WBC count is. I will try to get that info. though. I’m sorry to hear that your 15 month old has been diagnosed with MDS. That is awful. What were her symptoms?

How long have you been waiting for a BMT?

Syn

[nursemack]

Syn,
We have only had the diagnosis for a week and a half, so her HLA typing isn’t even back yet. I just started noticing in March that she had weird bruising on her tongue and the knuckles of her toes. I also noticed petechiae (small red spots under her skin) on her back and stomach. Went to the doctor for a CBC and she had platelets of 30 and she was a little anemic. Doc thought she had ITP (ideopathic thrombocytopenia) which usually resolves by itself in kids. After quite a few more blood draws, I noticed that she was getting more anemic, her platelets were staying the same (which they should have been going up by then) and her WBC’s were dropping. I insisted on going to see a ped heme/onc because our pediatrician still stood by his diagnosis and I felt something was wrong. We ended up doing a BMB about 3 weeks ago now, and then got the diagnosis on May 9. So we are still in the very early stages of this long process and extremely overwhelmed and stressed. We are having 2 free bone marrow drives this weekend to try and find matches in our community, and hopefully head to Children’s and Hutch in Seattle soon. Sorry this is so long…but thanks for asking. It helps me feel less stress the more I can talk about it

[Synestry]

Rachel,

That is just awful! I have never heard of such a young child having MDS. Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

Syn

[willie]

Rachel You will find that the people at the SCCA are very welcoming and attentive. You will be accepted into their neighborhood on a 24 hour/day basis. Willie

[Author]

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