Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have created a CRISPR-based rapid molecular diagnostic for two forms of leukemia that are driven by mutations that involve gene fusions. The technology accurately detects the presence of these gene fusions in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) and chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in patient samples. Precision medicines have long been available for these two forms of leukemia, but many care centers are unable to provide timely precision diagnostics for the diseases.
This new technology could fill that gap, enabling more patients with these blood cancers to receive lifesaving cancer treatments. "It doesn't matter if you have highly effective treatment for a disease if you can't diagnose that disease," says senior author and Dana-Farber physician-scientist Coleman Lindsley, MD, Ph.D.
"By developing rapid, accurate, point-of-care tests for cancer, we hope to improve outcomes by increasing accessibility and timeliness of diagnostic testing." The test results can be read out on a lateral flow strip within two hours and were 100% accurate in tests on patient samples. The study is published in Blood .
Today, precision molecular diagnostics are performed on-site at major cancer institutes like Dana-Farber. Most other care centers need to send blood samples out to centralized labs for molecular testing and can take anywhere from a few days to a week to receive results. In the case of APL, such a delay can be life threatening.
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