Table of Contents
- Foods high in nitrates and nitrites: These chemicals are added to many foods as preservatives, so it’s difficult to avoid them entirely. However, you can minimize your exposure by avoiding processed meats such as bacon, ham, hot dogs and deli meats. Other foods high in nitrates and nitrites include spinach, celery and beets. If a food contains these ingredients, cook it thoroughly to kill the bacteria that creates the chemical.
- Alcohol: Drinking alcohol can weaken your immune system, which makes it more difficult for your body to fight infections and tumors. Recent studies have shown that drinking alcohol increases the risk of some cancers, including myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). It’s best to avoid all forms of alcohol if you have MDS.
- Foods high in saturated fats: A diet high in saturated fats can lead to obesity, which increases the risk of certain cancers including MDS. Choose lean cuts of meat and poultry with no visible fat or skin. Avoid fried foods and fatty cuts of meat such as ribs or sausage. Trim any fat from meat before cooking and choose low-fat cooking.
What is Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)?
Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) is a group of heterogeneous disorders of the hematopoietic system, representing a spectrum of disease ranging from high-risk disease to low-risk disease. All cases are characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis and accumulation of abnormal, immature cells in the bone marrow.
The most common clinical presentation includes anemia with or without cytopenias in other blood cell lineages. Routine laboratory testing may show anemia, thrombocytopenia and/or neutropenia. MDS is primarily a disease of the elderly population, but can occur in younger patients as well.
The condition can be classified according to World Health Organization (WHO) criteria based on morphology, cytogenetics and molecular features. There are approximately 10% of MDS cases that fall under the category of acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
In MDS, immature blood cells in the bone marrow do not develop properly. These immature blood cells can be any type of formed blood cell. The immature blood cells may die within the bone marrow or they may be released into the bloodstream, where they do not function properly. Over time, this can lead to significant problems with normal blood cell production.
There are different types of MDS based on the type of abnormal cell and how it affects other blood cells in the body:
Myelodysplastic syndrome with single lineage dysplasia (MDS-SLD) involves only one type of blood cell, which has abnormal features that make it hard for the cell to mature and become functional.
Myelodysplastic syndrome with ring sideroblasts (MDS-RS) is characterized by tiny clusters of iron inside certain immature red blood cells called ring sideroblasts. This condition makes it harder for red blood cells to function normally.
Why Eating Right Matters for Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)?
Symptoms of MDS are often the same as the side effects of chemotherapy, which can make it difficult to know what’s causing your symptoms. For example, fatigue and low blood counts are symptoms of both MDS and chemotherapy.
If you have MDS, there are several nutritional strategies that may help you manage your symptoms:
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Consume adequate protein
- Eat more fruits and vegetables
- Choose healthy fats
- Limit salt intake
- Cope with nausea
- Combat fatigue
Example Foods to “Not Eat” and Eat with Azacitidine treatment for Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)
Azacitidine (also known as Vidaza) is a prescription medication used to treat myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). MDS is a type of cancer where immature blood cells in the bone marrow do not mature and therefore do not become healthy blood cells. Azacitidine can be used for patients with various types of MDS.
Azacitidine belongs to a group of drugs called DNA methyltransferase inhibitors. It works by killing cancer cells and inhibiting the growth of new cells.
It may take up to 4 or 6 weeks before you feel the full benefits of azacitidine treatment.
Common side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, loss of appetite, mouth sores and low levels of certain blood cells.
Foods to Avoid with Azacitidine treatment
Foods to Avoid: Caffeine Caffeine can cause excessive sweating, which may make you feel even thirstier, leading you to drink more fluid. It can also cause stomach upset and headaches.
Foods to Avoid: Red Meat Red meats such as beef, pork and lamb contain heme iron. Heme iron is an iron-containing molecule that is derived from animal tissue in the body. Heme iron is not found in plant-based foods such as fruits and vegetables. Heme iron can interact with azacitidine in two ways: It can reduce its effectiveness by increasing the amount of iron that is metabolized by the body or it can cause azacitidine to accumulate in the blood when it passes through.
The following foods contain high levels of oxalate – which can cause problems when taken with azacitidine:
*Dark chocolate
*Broccoli**
*Pears**
*Spinach**
*Tomatoes**
*Asparagus**
*Bamboo shoots**
*Cabbage**
*Collard greens**
Foods to Eat with Azacitidine treatment
If you are not able to eat during your treatment with azacitidine, it may help to:
Eat smaller meals more often.
Drink liquids between meals instead of with meals.
Avoid foods that are very hot or very cold. Cold foods may hurt your mouth or throat.
Try a bland diet. Bland foods include crackers, plain bread, plain pasta or rice, baked potatoes, and bananas.
Try soft foods. Soft foods include soft cooked eggs, fish, well-cooked vegetables and legumes (such as beans), pudding, Jell-O, yogurt, applesauce, and mashed potatoes.
Many people taking azacitidine have nausea. If you feel sick to your stomach, try these tips:
Eat five or six small meals or snacks a day instead of three large meals.
Try bland foods, such as toast, crackers and bananas.
Drink liquids between, not during, meals.
Don’t drink alcohol or caffeine while taking azacitidine, because they can make nausea worse.
Get up slowly from bed in the morning to avoid dizziness.
Should I take this Nutritional Supplement with Azacitidine treatment?
I have MDS and have been taking Azacitidine for 6 months. My doctor has prescribed this nutritional supplement. I just want to clarify if it is okay to take the supplement with Azacitidine?
It contains:
- Vitamin D3 1000 iu
- Thiamine (Vitamin B1) 1 mg
- Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) 1.7 mg
- Vitamin B6 2 mg
- Folate 400 mcg
- Vitamin B12 10 mcg
- Pantothenic Acid 10 mg
- Calcium (as calcium citrate) 100 mg
- Magnesium (as magnesium oxide) 50 mg
What are the Symptoms of Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)?
The symptoms of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) can vary depending on the health of the blood-forming cells in a person’s bone marrow. The main type of cell in the blood is a white blood cell, which helps fight infections. Without enough white blood cells, patients become more prone to infections. Another important type of cell is the red blood cell. Red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body and help keep your organs and tissues healthy. When there aren’t enough red blood cells, it can cause symptoms such as fatigue or shortness of breath. Platelets are also an important part of a healthy marrow; they help prevent bleeding. When platelet counts are low, patients may have bruises or bleed easily.
What are the Treatment Options for Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)?
Treatment for myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) from the Johns Hopkins Myelodysplastic Syndrome Center of Excellence.
The specific treatment for myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) depends on several factors, including the type and extent of the disease and your age. Your treatment options may include:
- Watchful waiting, in which you are closely monitored without receiving any treatment
- Medications to stimulate bone marrow to produce more healthy blood cells
- Medications to suppress or destroy abnormal blood-forming cells in bone marrow
- Chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy
- A stem cell (bone marrow) transplant
In Conclusion
In summary, MDS is a powerful technique for automatically generating summaries and recommendations. We hope you enjoyed this series and learned something new! Please contact us with any questions or comments. Thanks for reading!