BCR-ABL Tests for Chronic Myeloid Leukemia
Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a cancer of blood cells, characterized by replacement of the bone marrow with malignant, leukemic cells. Many of these leukemic cells can be found circulating in the blood and can cause enlargement of the spleen, liver, and other organs. The early diagnosis of CML is extremely important since it is a disease, which if detected early enough in its course, can be cured. CML is usually diagnosed by finding a specific chromosomal abnormality called the "bcr-abl rearrangement" or "Philadelphia chromosome".
Dynacare Next' tests are performed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology. This highly sensitive and reliable technology makes it possible to detect one rearranged cell among a million cells. This is far superior to the accuracy of traditional cytogenetics or of the FISH method (fluorescent in situ hybridization).
We offer 3 different tests to detect and to monitor the CML disease: 1) a qualitative test to detect the presence of the bcr-abl rearrangement; 2) a quantitative real-time PCR test to monitor the levels of bcr-abl rearrangement during the course of a patient's treatment; and 3) a mutation analysis of the bcr-abl gene for patients not responding to treatment.