MDS: Causes

What causes MDS?

Most of the time, doctors don't know the exact cause of MDS. These cases are called de novo MDS. We do know that certain lifestyle factors are linked to MDS.
You are more likely to develop MDS if you have:

• Been a smoker
• Been heavily exposed to certain chemicals, such as benzene
• Had chemotherapy or radiation treatments. These can cause treatment-related or secondary MDS. Treatment-related MDS is often severe and can be more difficult to treat than de novo MDS.

MDS cannot be passed down through the genes from parent to child and it cannot be passed through germs from person to person.