Established prognostic models in MDS. The clinical characteristics and their cutoffs for each prognostic model in MDS. The cytogenetic groups for IPSS are: good: normal, −Y, 5q−, 20q−; poor: complex (≥3 abnormalities) or chromosome 7 abnormalities; and intermediate: other karyotypic abnormalities. The cytogenetic groups for IPSS-R are: very good: −Y, del(11q); good: normal, del(5q), del(12p), del(20q), double including del(5q); intermediate: del(7q), +8, +19, i(17q), any other single or double independent clones; poor: −7, inv(3)/t(3q)/del(3q), double including −7/del(7q), complex: 3 abnormalities; very poor: complex: >3 abnormalities. The cytogenetic group for LRPSS is diploid and 5q were favorable cytogenetics, all others were considered as unfavorable cytogenetics. The red blood cell (RBC) transfusion dependence is ≥1 RBC transfusion every 8 weeks over a period of 4 months. The WPSS was revised to include the degree of anemia (hemoglobin <9 g/dL in men and <8 g/dL in women). *The LRPSS is a model that only can be applied to MDS patients who belong to the IPSS low and intermediate-1 risk groups. 5q−, interstitial deletion of long arm of chromosome 5; ANC, absolute neutrophil count; BM, bone marrow; Hb, hemoglobin; LRPSS, lower-risk prognostic scoring system; plts, platelets; RA, refractory anemia; RAEB, refractory anemia with excess blasts; RARS, refractory anemia with ring sideroblasts; RCMD, refractory cytopenia with multilineage dysplasia; WBC, white blood cell count.