The role of apoptosis in the pathogenesis, prognosis, and therapy of hematologic malignancies.

Apoptosis or programmed cell death is a cellular process involved in the regulation of cell proliferation. Alterations in the expression of apoptosis-related proteins are a common observation in hematologic malignancies. Moreover, increased expression levels of certain apoptosis-related proteins have been correlated with poorer clinical outcomes. Recent advances in the studies of the molecular events associated with the regulation of apoptosis have greatly improved our understanding of the etiology of human leukemias and myelodysplasias. Furthermore, these studies have helped identify proteins and cellular processes that are unique to leukemic cells and that could serve as therapeutic targets, diagnostic markers, and useful indicators of prognosis. Measurements of the levels of expression of apoptotic proteins could be used to help customize the therapeutic modalities that are most effective for each patient.