Molecular diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia

The diagnosis and classification of acute myeloid leukemia is multifaceted, requiring the integration of a variety of laboratory findings, with genetic approaches now firmly established as a central component. Molecular genetic technologies continue to evolve and provide additional tiers of both clarity and complexity. Many have rapidly moved into clinical laboratories; others remain as relevant discovery tools, while some are poised to take their place in diagnostic testing menus. Here, we attempt to synthesize the role of various testing modalities and exciting nascent fundamental discoveries, with a view as to how these might be integrated into the contemporary and future evaluation of this group of aggressive hematologic malignancies.