In validation studies (Fig. 4), the expression of both the longer anti-apoptotic transcript (T×1) and the shorter pro-apoptotic transcript (T×2) variants of MCL1 decreased significantly from normal bone marrow to low grade, and high grade MDS (global significance levels of T×1 and T×2 when comparing normal, low, and high grade MDS were p = 0.03 and p = 0.007, respectively). This evidence concerns the gene MCL1 and myelodysplastic syndrome.