Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes

While symptoms vary, they can include:

• Pale skin
• Fatigue
• Energy loss
• Easy bruising
• Shortness of breath
• Small red dots under the skin (petechiae)
• Unexplained or recurring infections
• Difficulty stopping bleeding (with minor wounds, nosebleeds)

Bone marrow failure syndromes can be caused by a variety of factors, including:

• Autoimmune conditions
• Cirrhosis
• Critical illness or infection
• Endocrine conditions
• Hypersplenism
• Infection
• Certain medications
• Nutrition
• Primary bone marrow processes
• Aplastic anemia
• Malignancy, such as MDS leukemia and lymphoma, among others
• Genetic disorders (Fanconi anemia, dyskeratosis congenital and others)

Bone marrow failure syndromes require timely and correct diagnoses. Your doctor will order blood tests and often obtain a bone marrow biopsy, especially if lab tests do not point toward a specific diagnosis. Each condition needs unique care and greatly benefits from a care team of different specialists.

Treatment of bone marrow failure syndromes largely depend on the underlying cause. It can include careful monitoring of blood counts, blood transfusions (receiving blood from an external source), holding offending medication, treatment of nutritional deficiency, treatment of underlying cancer, and/or a bone marrow transplant.