ABC's Robin Roberts Diagnosed with Rare Blood Disorder
Breast cancer survivor Robin Roberts has been diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome, a blood disorder likely triggered by her cancer treatment.
The 51-year-old "Good Morning America" anchor got the news on the same day that the ABC news program beat NBC's "Today" show in viewer ratings for the first time in 16 years.
“Talk about your highs and lows!” she said in a statement.
Her doctors are optimistic that a combination of chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant will be effective in treating the disorder. "My doctors tell me I’m going to beat this - and I know it’s true,” she added.
Roberts' sister will be her bone marrow donor. According to the network’s medical correspondent, Dr. Richard Besser, she will begin the chemotherapy treatment on Monday to prepare for the transplant operation this fall.
She will continue anchoring "Good Morning America" until the procedure, but is expected take several months off after the transplant to recover.
Myelodysplastic syndrome, MDS, is a rare malignant disorder that affects the bone marrow. Sometimes, it is referred to as pre-leukemia because without proper treatment, it can evolve into myeloid leukemia. It is predominant among elderly patients, but can also be triggered by cancer treatment.
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