Gene Mutations and Targeted Therapies of Myeloid Sarcoma

Abstract

Myeloid sarcoma, a rare malignant tumor characterized by the invasion of extramedullary tissue by immature myeloid cells, commonly occurs concomitantly with acute myeloid leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, or myeloproliferative neoplasms. The rarity of myeloid sarcoma poses challenges for diagnosis and treatment. Currently, treatments for myeloid sarcoma remain controversial and primarily follow protocols for acute myeloid leukemia, such as chemotherapy utilizing multi-agent regimens, in addition to radiation therapy and/or surgery. The advancements in next-generation sequencing technology have led to significant progress in the field of molecular genetics, resulting in the identification of both diagnostic and therapeutic targets. The application of targeted therapeutics, such as FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3(FLT3) inhibitors, isocitrate dehydrogenases(IDH) inhibitors, and the B cell lymphoma 2(BCL2) inhibitors, has facilitated the gradual transformation of traditional chemotherapy into targeted precision therapy for acute myeloid leukemia. However, the field of targeted therapy for myeloid sarcoma is relatively under-investigated and not well-described. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the molecular genetic characteristics of myeloid sarcoma and the current application of targeted therapeutics.

Keywords: BCL-2 inhibitors; FLT3 inhibitors; Genetic mutations; IDH inhibitors; Myeloid sarcoma.