Clinical advisory panels made up of pathologists, hematologists, oncologists, and genomic scientists provided the bulk of the input for the recently created International Consensus (IC) categorization of hematopoietic neoplasms. Hematologic neoplasms’ definition continues to place a strong emphasis on morphology.
The IC classification gives genomic traits greater weight since it recognizes that the aberrant morphology is caused by dysregulated hematopoiesis brought on by somatic gene mutations or altered expression. Precision medicine can only be created by defining nosologic entities according to the illness’s underlying molecular mechanism(s). The categorization of hematologic neoplasms will need to be continually improved and updated as translational and clinical research advances in the area; the fundamental question is what method should be employed for this aim. Creating a permanent International Working Group, which would then work with the World Health Organization (WHO)/International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) to realize and disseminate the classification, should be the primary responsibility of scientific hematopathology societies in collaboration with hematology societies. With its significant morphological component, the existing categorization is a starting point for improvement.
The development of extensive patient data sets through data sharing will enable the application of inference techniques, such as statistical analysis and machine learning models, targeted at further identifying unique disease groupings. Pathologic and genomic criteria can be updated within a clinical setting using a combined clinicopathologic review procedure. The scientific community would have access to the categorization more quickly through an interactive Web-based portal, which would also include other elements that would make it possible to use diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive data in real-world settings.
Reference: ashpublications.org/blood/article/140/11/1193/485909/Developing-a-classification-of-hematologic
