Skip to main content

Risk Stratification of MDS

Risk stratification of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) is important to determine prognosis and help understand disease trajectoryVolpe VO et al. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk. 2023;23:168-177.

The Revised International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS-R) is the most commonly used risk stratification system in MDS.Volpe VO et al. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk. 2023;23:168-177. Greenberg PL et al. Blood. 2012;120:2454-2465.

  • The IPSS-R stratifies patients into 5 risk groups (very low, low, intermediate, high, and very high), based on the sum of the individual scores for each parameterGreenberg PL et al. Blood. 2012;120:2454-2465.
  • A cutoff point of ≤ 3.5 has generally been used to classify patients as lower-risk MDS (LR-MDS; median survival, 5.9 years) and > 3.5 for higher-risk MDS (HR-MDS; median survival, 1.5 years)Cazzola M. N Engl J Med. 2020;383:1358-1374.

Revised International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS-R)Greenberg PL et al. Blood. 2012;120:2454-2465.

77%

of patients with MDS are lower-risk (very low-, low-, or intermediate-risk per IPSS-R).Greenberg PL et al. Blood. 2012;120:2454-2465.

An advanced calculator for IPSS-R MDS risk assessment is available online.

The Molecular International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS-M) was recently developed, and integrates information from 31 gene mutations in addition to the
IPSS-R componentsBernard E et al. NEJM Evid. 2022;1:EVIDoa2200008.

  • The result of the IPSS-M is a continuous, patient-specific risk score that may be classified into 1 of 6 groups: very low, low, moderate low, moderate high, high, and very highBernard E et al. NEJM Evid. 2022;1:EVIDoa2200008.
  • Compared with the IPSS-R, the IPSS-M improved prognostic discrimination and re-stratified 46% of patients to a different risk category (74% of whom were upstaged and 26% of whom were downstaged)Bernard E et al. NEJM Evid. 2022;1:EVIDoa2200008.

Molecular International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS-M)Bernard E et al. NEJM Evid. 2022;1:EVIDoa2200008.

58%

of patients with MDS are lower-risk (very low-, low-, or intermediate-risk per IPSS-M).Bernard E et al. NEJM Evid. 2022;1:EVIDoa2200008.

A web-based IPSS-M calculator provides individual scores and estimates for leukemia-free survival, overall survival, and AML transformation risk.Bernard E et al. NEJM Evid. 2022;1:EVIDoa2200008.

Learn more