MAKING A POTENTIALLY LIFE-CHANGING DECISION ABOUT BLOOD CANCER TREATMENTS COULD BECOME EASIER FOR QUEENSLAND PATIENTS, WITH CUTTING-EDGE DNA SEQUENCING NOW ABLE TO PREDICT THE BEST TREATMENTS FOR INDIVIDUAL CANCERS.

Queensland University of Technology researchers at the Australian Translational Genomics Centre can now sequence genetic mutations in blood cancer DNA, providing personalised information about the make-up of each cancer.

A new testing service at Metro South is hoped to be available state-wide predicting suitable blood cancer treatments.

The testing service means patients have a four-week wait to find out what treatments their blood cancer will most likely respond to, cutting out much of the uncertainty.

Blood cancers including leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma are the third-largest causes of cancer deaths in Australia, above breast and skin cancers.

The newly established ATGC is a partnership between QUT, Pathology Queensland and Metro South Hospital and Health Service, with the testing service now available for Metro South patients.

QUT director of genomics and ATGC director, Professor Matthew Brown, said he hoped to see Queensland Health roll the testing out across the state.
“It is a great news story and basically shows that doing comprehensive genetic sequencing provides patients with blood cancers with information relating to their blood cancer which can guide treatments,” Professor Brown said.

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