Morphologic correlates of genetic subtypes of acute myeloid leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is increasingly defined by recurrent genetic alterations that determine disease classification, prognosis, and therapeutic strategy. Although definitive diagnosis of genetically defined subtypes relies on cytogenetic and molecular techniques, careful evaluation of bone marrow and peripheral blood morphologic findings remains an essential and immediate component of the diagnostic process. Many genetic lesions in AML are associated with reproducible morphologic findings that can guide early diagnostic suspicion, inform triage of ancillary testing, and anticipate biologic behavior. This review summarizes the major genetically defined subtypes of AML and delineates their characteristic morphologic correlates, emphasizing how integration of microscopic findings with cytogenetic and molecular data enhances diagnostic precision. By revisiting morphology through a genomic lens, we underscore its continued central role in contemporary hematopathology.