Jun Yen Ng¹, Maya Latimer¹, Mark Polizzotto¹

¹Department of Haematology, Canberra Hospital, Canberra, Australia

Clonal Haematopoiesis (CH) refers to the clonal outgrowth of a population of hematopoietic stem cells in the absence of haematologic neoplasms. CH is common in older populations.(1) It is also common in people living with HIV.(2)
 

CH screening is not currently performed in routine clinical practice. Most individuals with CH are asymptomatic; however, the condition increases the risk of multiple life-limiting complications, including myeloid neoplasms (MN), cardiovascular disease, and cerebrovascular disease.(1) While CH is not yet treatable, identifying the condition may assist individuals in making informed decisions, including an individualised management plan for early detection of CH-associated complications. 
 

The optimal approach to surveillance for MN in individuals with CH remains undefined. Some individuals undergo active surveillance with regular blood count monitoring. 
 

Given the uncertainties surrounding the identification and management, dedicated CH research clinics have been developed in the United States. However, these clinics are not yet available in Australia.
 

This cohort study will establish a screening clinic and a prospectively characterised CH registry. With consent, individuals with possible CH will undergo screening by molecular testing in the first dedicated multidisciplinary CH clinic in Australia. The study findings will serve as the basis for future clinical and translational studies in CH. 

1.       Jaiswal S, Fontanillas P, Flannick J, Manning A, Grauman PV, Mar BG, et al. Age-Related Clonal Hematopoiesis Associated with Adverse Outcomes. New England Journal of Medicine. 2014;371(26):2488-98.

2.       Dharan NJ, Yeh P, Bloch M, Yeung MM, Baker D, Guinto J, et al. HIV is associated with an increased risk of age-related clonal hematopoiesis among older adults. Nat Med. 2021;27(6):1006-11.