Distinguishing AML from MDS: a fixed blast percentage may no longer be optimal.

ABSTRACT: Patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have conventionally received more intense therapy than patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Although less intense therapies are being used more often in AML, the dichotomy between AML and MDS remains, with the presence of ≥20% myeloblasts in marrow or peripheral blood generally regarded as defining AML. Consequently, patients with 19% blasts are typically ineligible for AML studies, and patients with 21% blasts are ineligible for MDS studies. Here we cite biologic and clinical data to question this practice. Biologically, abnormalities in chromosome 3q26 and mutations in NPM1 and FLT3, regarded as AML associated, also occur in MDS. The genetic signatures of MDS, particularly cases with 10% to 19% blasts (MDS-EB2), resemble those of AML fo

SUBMITTER: Estey E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8832464 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature