Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) Insights and Trends

• Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a group of disorders in which the bone marrow does not produce enough healthy blood cells. Instead, it produces an excess of immature blood cells, known as blasts.

• According to Blood Cancer United, approximately 25–30% of MDS patients have high-risk disease. The disease can progress to high-risk MDS and secondary AML in approximately 30% of cases.

• As per MDS UK, MDS is a rare disease. In the UK there are about 4 cases per 100,000 population per year. The typical age at which patients develop MDS is around 70 years old. Fewer than 10% of MDS patients are younger than 50 years.

• MDS primarily affects older adults, with a median age at diagnosis of approximately 71 years. The standardized net survival is estimated to be about 83% at 1 year and 51% at 5 years. 

Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) Epidemiology Forecast in the 7MM

• 2025 Prevalent Cases of MDS: ~43,000

• MDS Growth Rate (2026–2036): ~XX% CAGR

DelveInsight's ‘Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) Epidemiology Forecast – 2036’ report delivers an in-depth understanding of the MDS, historical and forecasted epidemiology, in the United States, EU4 (Germany, Spain, Italy, and France) and the United Kingdom, and Japan.

Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) Understanding

Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) Overview

MDS is a group of rare, heterogeneous bone marrow disorders characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis, leading to insufficient production of healthy blood cells. The disease arises from genetic and epigenetic abnormalities in hematopoietic stem cells, resulting in persistent cytopenias, bone marrow dysplasia, and an increased risk of progression to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). MDS primarily affects older adults and presents a substantial clinical burden due to chronic anemia, recurrent infections, bleeding complications, reduced quality of life, and the need for ongoing medical management. The biological and clinical heterogeneity of MDS has led to the development of risk-adapted treatment approaches and continues to drive the need for novel disease-modifying therapies.

Further details are provided in the report.

Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) Diagnosis

The diagnosis of MDS is based on a combination of clinical evaluation, laboratory testing, bone marrow examination, and cytogenetic or molecular analyses. Patients typically present with persistent unexplained cytopenias identified through complete blood counts (CBCs). Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy are essential for assessing dysplasia, blast percentage, and cellularity, while cytogenetic testing and next-generation sequencing (NGS) help identify chromosomal abnormalities and gene mutations that support diagnosis, risk stratification, and treatment selection. Prognosis is commonly assessed using scoring systems such as the IPSS-R and IPSS-M.

Further details are provided in the report.

Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) Epidemiology

Key Findings from Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) Epidemiological Analysis and Forecast 

• The total incident population of MDS in the 7MM were ~43,000 in 2025. These numbers are expected to increase by 2036.

• Patients classified as LR-MDS, frequently present with symptomatic anemia, occurring in approximately 89% of cases.

• Among the EU4 and the UK, Germany had highest incident cases of MDS, followed by France. On the other hand, Spain had the lowest incident population of MDS, in 2025.

• In the US, the majority of MDS cases were of the RAEB/MDS-EB subtype accounting for nearly 7,000 cases in 2025. 

• As per the analysis, mutation-specific cases of SF3B1 mutation accounted for the highest number of cases in MDS, i.e., ~900 cases, in Germany in 2025.

Scope of the Report

• The report covers a segment of a descriptive overview of MDS, explaining their causes, signs and symptoms, and pathogenesis.

• Comprehensive insight has been provided into the epidemiology segments and forecasts, the future growth potential of the diagnosis rate, and disease progression. 

Report Insights

Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) Patient Population Forecast

Report Key Strengths

• Epidemiology‑based (Epi‑based) Bottom‑up Forecasting

• 11-year Forecast 

• Patient Burden Trends (by Geography)

FAQs

• What are the disease risks, burdens, and unmet needs of MDS? What will be the growth opportunities across the 7MM concerning the patient population with MDS?

• What is the historical and forecasted MDS patient pool in the US, EU4 (Germany, France, Italy, and Spain), the UK, and Japan?

Reasons to Buy

• Insights on patient burden/disease prevalence, evolution in diagnosis, and factors contributing to the change in the epidemiology of the disease during the forecast years.

• To understand key opinion leaders’ perspectives around the diagnostic challenges to overcome barriers in the future.

• Detailed insights on various factors hampering disease diagnosis and other existing diagnostic challenges.