AML with germline DDX41 variants is a clinicopathologically distinct entity with an indolent clinical course and favorable outcome.

Abstract

Germline DDX41 variants in myeloid neoplasms (MNs) are not uncommon, and we explored the prevalence and characterized the clinical and pathologic features in a cohort of 3132 unrelated adult MN patients. By targeted next-generation sequencing, we identified 28 patients (20 men and 8 women) with pathogenic germline DDX41 variants who developed acute myeloid leukemia (AML), in which only 3 (11%) had a family history (FH) of MNs. A subacute clinical course of cytopenia (mean duration of 11.2 months, range 0-72 months) prior to the initial AML diagnosis was accompanied by a low blast count (median at 30%, range 20-70%) in hypocellular marrows (93% of all patients), in vast contrast to the typical proliferative subtypes of AML in the elderly. Most patients had a normal karyotype (75%) and acquired a second DDX41 variant (69%). A favorable overall survival (OS) was observed in comparison to that of common subtypes of AML with wild-type DDX41 in age-matched patients. Our study demonstrated that the frequent germline pathogenic DDX41 variants characterized a clinically distinct AML entity. Features characteristic of DDX41-mutated AML include male predominance, often lack of FH, indolent course, low proliferative potential, frequent somatic DDX41 variants, and a favorable OS.