Genetics of the chronic leukemias

Advances in genetics and molecular biology have led to a better understanding of leukemogenesis and lymphomagenesis. Genetic studies have begun to assume an increasingly important role in the diagnosis, follow-up, and prognostic evaluation of patients with leukemia and lymphoma. The end of the millennium saw the introduction of molecular-targeted therapy for chronic myelogenous leukemia, a major breakthrough in the therapeutic management of this disease. This review article focuses on genetic findings in the chronic leukemias and their role in the diagnosis, prognosis, and biologic understanding of these diseases, and highlights some of the genetic aberrations that may provide potential targets for the development of novel therapeutic strategies for better outcomes in these patients.