A six-gene score could transform survival predictions for blood cancer patients

Researchers at the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) in Barcelona have developed a six-gene scoring system — dubbed PHFScore — that could significantly improve how doctors predict survival outcomes for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a blood cancer notorious for its highly variable patient outcomes. Published in Science Advances, the study identified six genes whose collective activity reliably separates patients into groups with starkly different survival prospects.

The scoring system grew out of more than a decade of research into the gene PHF19, which helps keep other genes switched off as blood cells mature. When PHF19 is absent, blood cells get stuck in an immature, stem-cell-like state — making them more aggressive and resistant to standard chemotherapy. The team validated their mouse model against human patient data, finding consistent molecular patterns across both.

By the Numbers:

• Patients with the lowest PHF19 levels had remission rates below 50% after standard chemotherapy
• Patients with the highest PHF19 levels achieved remission rates of up to 85%
• The study took five years to complete and involved cross-referencing mouse experiments with human patient datasets

Why it matters: AML patients already undergo bone marrow biopsies at diagnosis — measuring just six genes is simpler and cheaper than full genetic profiling. PHFScore could become a practical, cost-effective tool for personalizing treatment decisions, and the newly identified genes may also serve as future therapeutic targets.