After 95 years, it's time to eRASe JMML

Juvenile myelomonocytic leukaemia (JMML) is a rare clonal disorder of early childhood. Constitutive activation of the RAS pathway is the initial event in JMML. Around 90% of patients diagnosed with JMML carry a mutation in the PTPN11, NRAS, KRAS, NF1 or CBL genes. It has been demonstrated that after this first genetic event, an additional somatic mutation or epigenetic modification is involved in disease progression. The available genetic and clinical data have enabled researchers to establish relationships between JMML and several clinical conditions, including Noonan syndrome, Ras-associated lymphoproliferative disease, and Moyamoya disease. Despite scientific progress and the development of more effective treatments, JMML is still a deadly disease: the 5-year survival rate is ~50%. Here, we report on recent research having led to a better understanding of the genetic and molecular mechanisms involved in JMML.