Torsten Haferlach, MD, PhD, of the Munich Leukaemia laboratory, Munich, Germany, highlights the rapidly expanding field of molecular diagnostics, moving us towards personalized medicine for patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Haferlach reflects on the success of existing demethylating drugs being used in MDS patients exhibiting the DNMT3A and TET2 gene mutations and explains the potential to uncover target approaches for further MDS-associated genes, specifically, splicing factor 3b subunit 1 (SF3B1) and tumor protein 53 (TP53) gene mutations. From 2018 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) in Houston, TX, Prof. Haferlach further discusses the future of MDS treatment, where the advancements in diagnostic approaches could potentially lead to the identification and treatment of low-risk patients with MDS in the near future.
Personlized therapy for MDS: Advancements and the future
