In yet another path breaking initiative, Super Religare Laboratories (SRL), India's Largest Diagnostics Network, has launched New Molecular Markers that will stratify the treatment modalities of a person suffering from Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML).
Acute Myeloid Leukaemia is the most common leukaemia in adults, accounting for approximately 80 per cent of all cases, out of which 20 per cent occur in children. Currently, there are no direct measures available for the clinicians to assess the response to the standard treatment in cytogenetically normal AML cases. This, in fact, results in loss of time as well as huge treatment cost, particularly in cases with clinically unfavourable genotypes. If treatment is initiated based on the genotypes, it can be more effective and precise.
Earlier, the routine technique used for diagnosing AML gave dismal results that prompted the researchers in identifying prognostic markers that allows fine tuning of the therapy to suit different subgroups of cases. Considering the requirement to treat Leukaemia in the right direction, focused applied research and clinical studies were conducted by the R&D team of Super Religare Laboratories under the guidance of Dr B R Das, executive director, Research & Technology and head of Molecular Diagnostics Division of SRL. Its findings have also been published in the peer reviewed journals (Hematol Oncology 2009; 27: 90-97 and Cancer Investigation LCNV-2009-0059.R1).
Speaking about the new technology, Dr B R Das, executive director, Research & Technology and head of Molecular Diagnostics Division of SRL, said, "These new markers will help to stratify the patients into two groups as clinically favourable or unfavourable genotypes. Depending on the genotype, risk of relapse or survival can be predicted and also help in overall treatment outcomes. Thus, these advanced markers are expected to confer a profound impact upon the clinical phenotype of the disease along with prognosis assessment and choice of treatment for cytogenetically normal AML cases."
The recent WHO classification of Hematolymphoid neoplasms proposed in the year 2008 has incorporated the molecular lesions as a part of diagnostic criteria for sub classification of these entities which represents an important step forward in implementing these novel discoveries into clinical practice.
"In contrast to Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, wherein better understanding of the disease process has resulted in a high cure rate, treatment outcome in Acute Myelogenous Leukaemia (AML) has continued to remain very dismal. Continued efforts to obtain greater insights into the molecular mechanisms and to identify better predictors of prognosis have led to identification of newer genetic and molecular markers in AML. These markers, especially those associated with normal cytogenetic findings hold promise for the future. SRL is in the forefront of this specialized area of research," said Dr Amar Dasgupta, executive director, Lab Operations, SRL and a renowned Haematologist.
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