title: The challenging world of cytopenias: distinguishing myelodysplastic syndromes from other disorders of marrow failure.
abstract: Over the past decade, our understanding of bone marrow failure has advanced considerably. Marrow failure encompasses multiple overlapping diseases, and there is increasing availability of diagnostic tools to distinguish among the subtypes. Identification of genetic alterations that underlie marrow failure has also greatly expanded, especially for myelodysplastic syndromes. Molecular markers are increasingly used to guide the management of myelodysplasia and may distinguish this diagnosis from other marrow failure disorders. This review summarizes the current state of distinguishing among causes of marrow failure and discusses the potential uses of multiple diagnostic and prognostic indicators in the management of myelodysplastic syndromes and other bone marrow failure disorders.
authors.affiliation: The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center and Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Leukemia Program, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA adezern1@jhmi.edu.
authors.forename: Amy E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: DeZern
authors.affiliation: The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center and Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Leukemia Program, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: Mikkael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sekeres
mesh_terms: D001855:Bone Marrow Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011379:Prognosis
keywords: Aplastic anemia; Bone marrow failure; Large granular leukemia; Molecular markers; Myelodysplastic syndrome; PNH; SNP array