However, patients with LR MDS and symptomatic cytopenias (neutropenia, anemia, and thrombocytopenia) will typically receive supportive care, namely, erythropoiesis-stimulating agents such as erythropoietin (EPO) and/or red blood cells/platelet transfusions for supportive care or recombinant granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) therapy for patients who are neutropenic. Here, EPO is linked to anemia (phenotype).