There are no specific ways to prevent myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Avoidance of controllable risk factors offers the only possibility of preventing the disease. Smoking is the biggest controllable risk factor for MDS, and not smoking offers the best opportunity to prevent it.

Avoiding the chemical benzene can also reduce a person’s risk of developing the disease. However, many experts agree that occupational and environmental chemicals are responsible for only a small number of MDS cases.

Although chemotherapy and radiation therapy for other cancers can cause secondary MDS, the life-saving benefits of these treatments should be carefully weighed against the small risk of developing MDS later in life.