The levels of cell-free circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in plasma correlate with treatment response and outcome in systemic lymphomas. After evaluating the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma from 19 patients (6 with restricted central nervous system [CNS] lymphomas, 1 with systemic and CNS lymphoma, and 12 with systemic lymphomas), the authors concluded that CSF ctDNA can detect CNS lesions better than plasma ctDNA and flow cytometry for tumor cells in CSF. In addition, CSF ctDNA predicts CNS relapse in CNS and systemic lymphomas. This technology can be exploited as a 'liquid biopsy' of CNS lymphomas.

Down syndrome-related transient abnormal myelopoiesis (TAM) is a temporary preleukemic state in which there is marked elevation of blast cells at birth. This study identified the disease-responsible progenitors and impact of GATA1 mutations on these cells by dissecting the differentiation steps of pluripotent stem cell-based hematopoiesis. This model should provide novel insights into the pathogenesis, prediction, and treatment of not only TAM, but also acute megakaryocytic leukemia in Down syndrome.