Genetic Testing Methods in Myelodysplastic Syndromes and Leukemias: A Review

The application of sophisticated technologies in the diagnosis of hematologic malignancies has accelerated our knowledge about the molecular basis of the disease, and at present, much more is known about leukemia than any other type of cancer. Advances in our understanding of the pathogenesis of the disease offer exciting prospects. It was recognized that genetic alterations can be detected at diagnosis in the majority of patients with hematologic malignancies. Most important, increased application of these technologies in the clinical setting might lead to identification of relevant pathways for the design of novel therapies with the potential to change the medicine fundamentally.