A Review of the Application of mNGS in Hematologic Malignancy

Abstract

Infection remains a major cause of mortality in individuals diagnosed with hematologic malignancies, both in children and adults. Although the range of infections affecting these patients has undergone significant changes with the widespread use of antibiotics, it is accompanied by an increasing number of drug-resistant strains. To address these concerns, metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) has emerged as a promising diagnostic tool for detecting pathogens responsible for infectious diseases. At the same time, this approach has gained popularity as a means to identify infection etiology in hematologic disease patients. This review article focuses on the evolution of mNGS technology and its relevance in diagnosing hematologic diseases, discussing both the existing situation for microbial infections among such patients and traditional methods for detecting those infections. To examine the efficacy of this technique for hematologic disease patients, we compare the benefits and drawbacks of its application in light of relevant literature and clinical practice.