Mutational complexity in myelodysplasia

Myelodysplastic syndromes are characterized by genetic and clinical heterogeneity. Some mutations are able to drive clonal hematopoiesis without causing clinical consequences, while other mutations may have significant impact, including the transformation to leukemia. This review aims to describe the pathogenesis of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) by focusing on 3 aspects: combinatorial genetic events, environmental factors, and inherited genetic conditions.