The President of the Republic, Laurentino Cortizo, revealed, on the afternoon of this Monday, June 20, that after a routine check-up, myelodysplastic syndrome was detected, which is why after July 1, when he renders his report to the nation, he will travel to Houston Texas in the United States, to receive a second opinion on his diagnosis.
The president, in a message to the nation revealed that, every six months, he undergoes routine and complete blood tests and the last one, which was carried out at the end of May this year, showed a decrease in hemoglobin and in the white blood cell count, so his family doctor recommended that he consult with doctors José Luis Franceschi and Ricardo Díaz, recognized specialists of the national medical body.
At the respective medical appointment, both doctors considered it opportune to do an aspiration and biopsy of the bone marrow, whose samples were sent to a specialized laboratory in the United States and the diagnosis was an intermediate risk myelodysplastic syndrome.
In this sense, doctors Franceschi and Díaz recommended a second specialized evaluation, with molecular biology tests, which will be carried out in Houston, Texas.
Through a press release, the presidency reported that doctors Franceschi and Díaz certified that: “the physical examination of Mr. President is normal and he is in excellent general condition.”
Faced with this announcement, regarding the president’s state of health, the doctor of internal medicine and critical medicine, Julio Sandoval, explained how this disease is detected, what the possible symptoms and treatments are, and even a possible life expectancy of the patients who suffer from this disease.
Sandoval explained to Radio Panama that the president’s disease is a type of blood cancer characterized by fatigue, weakness, weight loss and low-grade fever.
In addition, in the patient’s blood count, an alteration of low hemoglobin can be observed, white blood cells may be high or low and platelets may be affected.
He said that the diagnosis, as happened with President Cortizo, is given through the extraction of a sample of bone marrow. He stressed that the prognosis of the disease depends on the subtype of myelodysplastic syndrome that is suffered and is carried out through genetic and molecular studies.
He revealed that survival of the disease, depending on the subtype suffered, ranges from six months to 15 years. He said that the treatment for this condition can range from transfusions to bone marrow transplantation for curative purposes.
After wishing President Sandoval a speedy recovery, he reiterated that the medical team treating him is one of the best in the country and that the second opinion he will receive in the United States will also be received from one of the best specialists in that country.
