Diagnosis, Treatment, and Molecular Pathology of Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome

Shwachman-Diamond syndrome (SDS) is an inherited bone marrow failure syndrome classically associated with exocrine pancreatic dysfunction and neutropenia, with a predisposition toward progressive marrow failure, risk of myelodysplastic syndrome, and leukemia. Most patients carry biallelic mutations in the Shwachman-Bodian-Diamond Syndrome gene, which is an integral component of ribosome maturation and biogenesis. This article reviews the diagnosis, clinical characteristics, and treatment modalities of SDS, and reports advances in the understanding of the molecular pathophysiology of SDS.