Heritable cancer: Rounding up the not so usual suspects

An update on the pathogenesis and diagnosis of Diamond-Blackfan anemia

Diamond–Blackfan anemia (DBA) is a rare congenital hypoplastic anemia characterized by a block in erythropoiesis at the progenitor stage, although the exact stage at which this occurs remains to be fully defined. DBA presents primarily during infancy with macrocytic anemia and reticulocytopenia with 50% of cases associated with a variety of congenital malformations. DBA is most frequently due to a sporadic mutation (55%) in genes encoding several different ribosomal proteins, although there are many cases where there is a family history of the disease with varying phenotypes. The erythroid tropism of the disease is still a matter of debate for a disease related to a defect in global ribosome biogenesis. Assessment of biological features in conjunction with genetic testing has increased the accuracy of the diagnosis of DBA. However, in certain cases, it continues to be difficult to firmly establish a diagnosis. This review will focus on the diagnosis of DBA along with a description of new advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology and treatment recommendations for DBA.