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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 29, 2026

Continuous Fluorescence-Based Endonuclease-Coupled DNA Methylation Assay to Screen for DNA Methyltransferase Inhibitors

Continuous Fluorescence-Based Endonuclease-Coupled DNA Methylation Assay to Screen for DNA Methyltransferase Inhibitors

Published on: August 5, 2022

Demethylating agents in myeloid malignancies.

Guillermo Garcia-Manero¹

¹Department of Leukemia, University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. ggarciam@mdanderson.org

Current Opinion in Oncology

|October 9, 2008

Summary

Demethylating agents like 5-azacitidine improve survival in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Combination epigenetic therapies show promise for further advancing MDS treatment.

Area of Science:

Oncology
Epigenetics
Hematology

Background:

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are often associated with aberrant DNA methylation and gene silencing.
Approved demethylating agents, 5-azacitidine and decitabine, induce DNA hypomethylation.
These agents are thought to work by reexpressing epigenetically silenced genes.

Purpose of the Study:

To provide an updated summary of clinical experience with demethylating agents in MDS.
To review the efficacy and impact of current and emerging epigenetic therapies for MDS.

Main Methods:

Review of clinical trial data and published literature on 5-azacitidine and decitabine in MDS.
Analysis of recent phase III study results and ongoing randomized trials.

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Last Updated: Jun 29, 2026

Continuous Fluorescence-Based Endonuclease-Coupled DNA Methylation Assay to Screen for DNA Methyltransferase Inhibitors

Continuous Fluorescence-Based Endonuclease-Coupled DNA Methylation Assay to Screen for DNA Methyltransferase Inhibitors

Published on: August 5, 2022

Main Results:

5-Azacitidine has demonstrated a significant improvement in overall survival for higher-risk MDS patients.
Combination epigenetic therapies (hypomethylating agent + histone deacetylase inhibitor) show significant activity in MDS/acute myelogenous leukemia.
Decitabine survival study results are pending; randomized studies are evaluating combination superiority.

Conclusions:

Demethylating agents are the standard of care for higher-risk MDS, improving its natural history.
Further research into novel combination therapies holds potential for significant advances in MDS patient care.