Tackling the Tenderness: A Case Report of Oral Presentation of Myelodysplastic Syndrome

The Myeloidysplastic Syndromes (MDS) are a collection of haematological conditions characterised by pancytopenia, dysplasia of erythrocyte, leucocyte and megakaryocyte lineages (trilineage dysplasia) and bone marrow hypercellularity. MDS is often known as “smoldering leukaemia” and is therefore regarded as a preleukaemic syndrome, with a high risk of progression to Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML). However, it is regarded as a condition with a minimal propensity for malignancy in contrast to other aggressive haematology cancers. A case of 64-year-old male reported with ulcers in the mouth secondary to myelodysplatic syndrome. The patient was treated symptomatically and is currently under follow-up. Myelodysplastic illnesses are a subset of haematological malignancies, MDS is regarded as having a relatively low propensity for transformation. Oral manifestations in MDS may include ulcers, opportunistic infections and spontaneous gingival bleeding, which can result from pancytopenia or immunosuppressive therapy. Dental management in patients with MDS remains a matter of debate. However, in order to lower the risk of septicaemia originating from the oral cavity, immunocompromised patients may benefit from careful oral assessment and treatment of previous dental disease.