Progress on Myelodysplastic Syndromes with a Perspective from Latin America

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a heterogeneous group of hematological malignancies characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis, resulting in cytopenias, morphologic dysplasia in hematopoietic lineages, and a variable risk of progression to acute myeloid leukemia. Significant advances in the understanding of MDS have been made in recent years, largely due to the implementation of molecular tools. Latin America is a highly diverse region, both ethnically and racially, and often faces resource limitations that challenge the broad applicability of recent advances in MDS. In this review, we discuss the key genes implicated in the pathogenesis and classification of MDS, including those related to germline predisposition syndromes, and their relevance to diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic decision-making. We also highlight research efforts from Latin America and present the results of a survey assessing the availability of molecular tools in Latin American centers.