Turning the clock back on clonal evolution

Access through your institution Buy or subscribe Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a heterogeneous group of diseases with a similar incidence to acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), but much

less is known about the genetic basis of MDS. Discriminating between MDS and AML is based largely on cytomorphological analysis, and a myeloblast count of ≥20% is confirmation of an AML

diagnosis. Although a minority of patients with MDS are cured with haematopoietic stem-cell transplanation, most existing treatments are not curative. Thus, a better understanding of the

genetic basis of MDS to AML progression would allow development of more-effective treatments. Two studies published in the _New England Journal of Medicine_ have now shed light on the

genetics of AML. Using whole-genome sequencing, one study showed the importance of the diversity of clonal evolution of MDS and AML, while the other using mutational analysis demonstrated

that mutations in _DNMT3A_, _MLL_ and _NPM1_ identify patients with AML who have an improved outcome in response to high-dose induction chemotherapy. This is a preview of subscription

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ACCESS OPTIONS: * Log in * Learn about institutional subscriptions * Read our FAQs * Contact customer support ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPERS * Walter, M. J. _ et al_. Clonal architecture of

secondary acute myeloid leukemia. _N. Engl. J. Med._ 366, 1090–1098 (2012) Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Patel, J. P. _ et al_. Prognsotic relvance of integrated genetic profiling in acute

myeloid leukemia. _N. Engl. J. Med._ 366, 1079–1089 (2012) Article  CAS  Google Scholar  Download references Authors * Lisa Hutchinson View author publications You can also search for this

author inPubMed Google Scholar RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Hutchinson, L. Turning the clock back on clonal evolution. _Nat Rev Clin

Oncol_ 9, 245 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrclinonc.2012.50 Download citation * Published: 03 April 2012 * Issue Date: May 2012 * DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrclinonc.2012.50 SHARE

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