title: Reclassifying myelodysplastic syndromes: what's where in the new WHO and why.
abstract: A revision to the 4th edition of the WHO Classification of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDSs), originally published in 2008, is expected in mid-2016. Based on recommendations of a Clinical Advisory Committee, the revision will aim to incorporate new discoveries in MDS that impact existing disease categories. Although the basic diagnostic principles of the WHO classification remain unchanged, several changes to the classification are proposed. All revisions are considered preliminary until the actual publication of the monograph and online document. Proposals for change include abandoning the routine use of "refractory anemia/cytopenia" in the various disease names, including the prognostic significance of gene mutations in MDS, revising the diagnostic criteria for MDS entities with ring sideroblasts based on the detection of SF3B1 mutations, modifying the cytogenetic criteria for MDS with isolated del(5q), reclassifying most cases of the erythroid/myeloid type of acute erythroleukemia, and recognizing the familial link in some cases of MDS. This review will provide details of the major proposed changes as well as rationale for the revisions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA; and.
authors.forename: Daniel A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Arber
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Robert P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Hasserjian
mesh_terms: D000756:Anemia, Sideroblastic / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis; D003582:Cytogenetics; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D017353:Gene Deletion; D006405:Hematology / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D009154:Mutation; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000235:genetics; D000072260:RNA Splicing Factors; D017413:Ribonucleoprotein, U2 Small Nuclear / Q000235:genetics; D014944:World Health Organization
chemical_list: D010750:Phosphoproteins; D000072260:RNA Splicing Factors; D017413:Ribonucleoprotein, U2 Small Nuclear; C112491:SF3B1 protein, human