Rapid Diagnostic Test Developed for Blood Cancer

The assay uses the patient's bone marrow collected in anticoagulant tubes and reveals that the prognosis for AML can be established to a significant degree by measuring specific aberrations in the patient's DNA.

The test, called the AMLprofiler, uses DNA-chip technology. This new method can replace seven different tests of which three are chromosomal aberrations, two gene-mutations, and two aberrant genetic activities. At present, these tests are often carried out one by one, which takes more time and may result in incomplete availability of important diagnostic information. By contrast, the AMLprofiler delivers these test results in one assay within four days. This reduces the patient's period of uncertainty and offers the physician more time to arrange the most appropriate treatment.

The AMLprofiler was developed by Skyline Diagnostics BV (Rotterdam
The Netherlands) using the diagnostically approved Affymetrix microarray platform (Affymetrix, Santa Clara, CA, USA) and specially developed Information Technology (IT) infrastructure. The AMLprofiler is a cost-effective, standardized procedure for diagnosing AML. This test is the world's first diagnostic DNA chip that makes it possible to measure the activity of disease-related genes anywhere in the world. In addition, it can be of great value for clinical research into new cures for leukemia. The AMLprofiler has received CE-certification.

Acute Myeloid Leukemia is the most lethal form of blood cancer, responsible for over 9,000 deaths per year in the US alone. Its progress varies widely in different patients. Research has revealed that the prognosis for this disease can be established to a significant degree by measuring specific aberrations in the patient's DNA.

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