For myelodysplastic syndrome (mds) patients, how does genome sequencing help?

Diagnosis: For certain patients, genomic sequencing can help establish a diagnosis of mds, especially those without large chromosomal abnormalities. In addition, sequencing can be used to help monitor for response to treatment. There are also limited data to suggest that certain mutations can be useful in prognosis. This is an emerging field of medicine and hopefully your oncologist can help guide you.

MDS Genetics: An MDS patient's gene mutation information is the most powerful info predicting lifespan, progression to leukemia, and response to treatment. Approximately 50% of MDS patients have "normal" chromosome testing results. It wasn't until we started using the much more sensitive genome sequencing technique, that we discovered genetic mutations hiding deep inside the chromosomes. Search: PMID 24030381