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Updated: May 22, 2026
11:42
Induction of Mesenchymal-Epithelial Transitions in Sarcoma Cells
Published on: April 7, 2017
RAS pathway activation and microenvironmental adaptation as hallmarks of myeloid sarcoma
Bettina Nadorp1, Audrey Lasry2, Sanam Loghavi3
1New York University United States.
Blood Cancer Discovery
|May 20, 2026
Summary
Myeloid sarcoma, a rare acute myeloid leukemia (AML) subtype, shows distinct molecular evolution and transcriptional signatures compared to bone marrow AML. Circulating tumor DNA sequencing offers a promising non-invasive method for its molecular profiling.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Hematology
- Genomics
Background:
- Myeloid sarcoma is an aggressive extramedullary AML subtype, understudied in large-scale investigations.
- Key drivers of its tumor evolution are unknown, posing diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.
- Limited clinical trial participation renders it a neglected disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the molecular characteristics and evolutionary patterns of myeloid sarcoma.
- To explore potential non-invasive methods for molecular profiling of extramedullary AML.
- To identify distinct molecular features differentiating myeloid sarcoma from medullary AML.
Main Methods:
- Comparative genomic and transcriptional analysis of myeloid sarcoma and medullary AML.
- Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) sequencing for molecular profiling.
- Analysis of clonal evolution and pathway activation.
Main Results:
- Myeloid sarcoma evolves from medullary AML but exhibits distinct site-specific clonal evolution.
- Unique transcriptional signatures reflect adaptation to the extramedullary microenvironment.
- ctDNA sequencing successfully captures myeloid sarcoma molecular composition, validating it as a non-invasive approach.
- Marked differences observed between medullary AML and myeloid sarcoma, including universal molecular evolution and RAS pathway activation.
Conclusions:
- Myeloid sarcoma possesses unique molecular and evolutionary features distinct from medullary AML.
- ctDNA sequencing presents a viable non-invasive strategy for extramedullary AML molecular profiling.
- Understanding these differences is crucial for improving diagnosis and treatment strategies for myeloid sarcoma.
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