Monitoring Mutational Burden in Low Risk MDS Patients Using Sequential Peripheral Blood Samples

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a heterogeneous group of clonal hematopoietic stem cell malignancies. Somatic cytogenetic and molecular aberrations and the evolution of subclonal malignant cell populations are responsible for the development and progression of MDS into acute myeloid leukemia. Within only one decade the availability of new genome-wide technologies, like next generation sequencing (NGS), has revolutionized basic research. The routine clinical use of NGS analysis together with well-established diagnostic tools, like chromosome banding analysis or fluorescence in situ hybridization, will substantially add to existing diagnostic and prognostic criteria. This comprehensive combined approach could revolutionize the way we manage patient care. However, little is known about the application of such techniques in routine diagnostics and standards for such analyses are still m