Molecular diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia

Abstract

The diagnosis and classification of acute myeloid leukemia is multifaceted, requiring the integration of a variety of laboratory findings, with genetic approaches now firmly established as a central component. Molecular genetic technologies continue to evolve and provide additional tiers of both clarity and complexity. Many have rapidly moved into clinical laboratories; others remain as relevant discovery tools, while some are poised to take their place in diagnostic testing menus. Here, we attempt to synthesize the role of various testing modalities and exciting nascent fundamental discoveries, with a view as to how these might be integrated into the contemporary and future evaluation of this group of aggressive hematologic malignancies.

Keywords::

• acute myeloid leukemia
• cytogenetics
• diagnosis
• genetic testing
• karyotyping
• mutation
• prognosis

Acknowledgements

The authors apologize to the numerous excellent investigators whose noteworthy contributions unfortunately could not been included or cited, due to space constraints.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

Adam Bagg is supported, in part, by a Specialized Center of Research grant from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of America. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Notes

AML: Acute myeloid leukemia.

Adapted from [6].