Temple study.

1. Diagnosis myelodysplastic syndrome (primary or secondary) based on cytopenia in at least 1 cell line + dysplasia in 2 cell lines (and no other cause (especially deficiencies)) and a pathologic anatomic diagnosis after bone marrow punction;

2. Refractory anaemia (RA): blood: ¡Ü 1% blasts, ¡Ü 1 x 109 monocytes; bone marrow: < 5% blasts, ringed sideroblasts ¡Ü 15% of the erythroid cells;

3. Refractory anaemia with ringed sideroblasts (RARS): blood: ¡Ü 1% blasts, ¡Ü 1 x 109 monocytes; bone marrow: < 5% blasts, ringed sideroblasts > 15% of the erythroid cells;

4. Refractory anaemia with excess blasts (RAEB): blood: < 5% blasts, ¡Ü 1 x 109 monocytes; bone marrow: blasts ¡Ý 5 -¡Ü 20%;

5. Chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia (CMML): blood: >1 x 109/l monocytes, <5% blasts; bone marrow: blasts < 20%, increase of the monocytic component;

6. Erythrocyte transfusion need;

7. Working knowledge of the national language;

8. Written consent for participating this study (informed consent).

1. Candidate for bone marrow- or organ transplantation;

2. Medication: growth factors (GM-CSF), or EPO;

3. Patients who will receive an intensive chemotherapeutic treatment with a cytopenia, expected longer than 2 weeks;

4. Refractory anaemia with excess blasts in transformation (RAEB-t): blood: ¡Ý 5% blasts or Auer rods; bone marrow: or blasts > 20 - < 30% or Auer rods;

5. Pregnancy at the moment of inclusion;

6. Patients with congenital severe haemolytic anaemia, like thalassemia or sickle cell anaemia;

7. Patients with AIDS or a severe congenital or acquired (e.g. iatrogenic) immunological disorder;

8. Severe active infections at the moment of inclusion;

9. Severe cardiac, pulmonal, neurological, metabolic or psychiatric disease at the moment of inclusion.