BJC Reports (Mar 2025)

Germline copy number variants in RUNX1: An updated case report and a decade-old red herring

  • Natalie T. Deuitch,
  • Amra Kajdic,
  • Erica Bresciani,
  • Marshall S. Horwitz,
  • Hamish S. Scott,
  • Katie Craft,
  • Shawn Chong,
  • David J. Young,
  • Lucy A. Godley,
  • Paul P. Liu

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s44276-024-00117-y
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 3, no. 1
pp. 1 – 4

Abstract

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Abstract Pathogenic/likely pathogenic (P/LP) germline variants in RUNX1 cause familial platelet disorder with associated myeloid malignancies (FPDMM), also known as RUNX1-Familial Platelet Disorder (RUNX1-FPD, or FPD), a condition characterized by qualitative and quantitative platelet defects and predisposition to hematopoietic malignancies. Here, we present follow up to a case of a woman with acute myeloid leukemia and lifelong thrombocytopenia which had previously been attributed to presumptive pathogenic (P) GATA2 missense variants. However, re-evaluation with updated molecular technology sensitive for detection of copy number variants (CNVs) led to the identification of a P deletion of exons 5-6 in RUNX1, which had been undetected when examined at first presentation. This case highlights the importance of comprehensive molecular evaluation and careful variant interpretation, especially regarding CNVs.