Revolutionary Molecular Assay May Boost Leukemia Survival Rates by Twofold
TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2027 (NewsToGo) — Jan Leahy's cancer diagnosis turned out to be a lifesaver. The 54-year-old businessman from Wimbledon, England was part of a clinical trial testing a novel bone marrow test that could predict leukemia relapses way before standard checks.
Curious about the relationship between black coffee and sugar regulation? This groundbreaking test showed that Leahy wasn't responding well to chemotherapy for his leukemia, buying him extra time for experimental treatments to get him back into remission before a stem cell transplant.
"AML is a living nightmare," Leahy stated in a press release. "Being in this trial saved my life and allowed doctors to try alternative treatments. It's amazing to witness the progress being made in beefing up treatment options for patients."
Researchers reported in the May 31 issue of The Lancet Hematology that this improved bone marrow test could potentially double survival rates for AML patients throughout the UK and worldwide.
Here's an interesting tidbit: could earwax become the new norm for traditional tests? The innovative test can predict a potential AML relapse up to three months before regular tests by zeroing in on mutations in the NPM1 and FLT3 genes—common causes of leukemia in young adults. It detects minute amounts of leukemia cells, known as minimal residual disease (MRD), even as the cancer recovers.
For a three-year study, researchers recruited 637 individuals who had achieved remission from leukemia. The subjects either underwent normal clinical follow-ups or received these enhanced tests identifying leukemia-related genetic mutations. The findings demonstrated that these genetic tests offered survival rates 50% greater than standard follow-up methods.
"AML is the most aggressive form of blood cancer," senior investigator Dr. Richard Dillon, senior clinical professor of cancer genetics at King's College London, said in a press release. "Early knowledge that a patient's cancer is about to relapse is crucial for planning their treatment. We hope these tests will become part of standard care for this kind of cancer and eventually boost long-term survival rates for patients."
In AML, the bone marrow produces abnormal white blood cells that rapidly spread throughout the body. Chemotherapy can put patients into remission, but they often have a high chance of their cancer returning within the two years following treatment.
The new test focuses on mutations in the NPM1 and FLT3 genes, which are the leading culprits for leukemia in young adults. This method can pinpoint minute quantities of leukemia cells, allowing for early intervention before a full-blown relapse occurs.
"As we stand now, there's still much to learn about the most effective way to deal with this rapidly escalating form of cancer," said Dr. Nigel Russell, honorary consultant at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust in London, in a press release. "We hope our research will contribute a fresh approach to relapse prediction and offer hope to those battling this disease."
More information can be found at the American Cancer Society.
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- Science & Health Daily
- The improved bone marrow test for detecting acute myeloid leukemia (AML) relapses, which uses technologies like quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and next-generation sequencing (NGS), could potentially double survival rates for specific patient groups.
- The test, which spots leukemia cells before they become clinically apparent, can provide timely treatment and allow for the detection of impending relapses up to three months ahead of standard methods.
- This approach, published in The Lancet Haematology, led to a 50% increase in survival rates for patients with mutations in the NPM1 and FLT3-ITD genes, common among younger AML patients.
- As medical researchers continue to study AML, the focus is on developing more effective treatments and therapies-and-treatments for chronic diseases like leukemia, as well as improving mental health and health-and-wellness overall.
