BloodCenter of Wisconsin's Diagnostic Laboratories has announced the availability of a comprehensive cancer mutation HemeOnc Panel using next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology. The NGS panel is designed to detect variants in 30 genes that are either prognostic or diagnostic for 10 different myeloid hematologic malignancies.

"NGS technology is revolutionizing how genetic information is utilized for optimal cancer patient care," said Matthew Anderson, M.D., Ph.D., medical director for BloodCenter of Wisconsin's Diagnostic Laboratories. "With NGS we can sequence millions of fragments of tumor DNA simultaneously, providing more comprehensive information to physicians more rapidly, at a lower cost."

BloodCenter's NGS HemeOnc panel interrogates more regions of the genome, focusing on targets that are relevant to particular cancers.

"Using NGS technology, BloodCenter can use one assay to detect the genetic changes in 30 gene targets that may be present in a patient's tumor," said D.P. Dash, Ph.D., director of BloodCenter of Wisconsin's Molecular Oncology Laboratory. "Our primary focus is on hematologic malignancies such as acute myeloid leukemia (AML), myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN). The panel provides oncologists and pathologists comprehensive information that can support diagnosis, prognosis and risk stratification, and may support the use of targeted therapy."

As part of the diagnostic report, BloodCenter of Wisconsin also will provide additional clinical data which can assist physicians in providing more personalized patient treatment. The enhanced report includes information on FDA approved therapies and relevant clinical trials that can be critical for optimal patient care.

"Physicians need that information to more efficiently manage their patients," said Anderson. "From a physician's perspective, it is a tremendous value to have not only the mutational status of the tumor, but all the relevant clinical data contained in a single report."

BloodCenter's Diagnostic Laboratories help physicians provide clinical care to patients worldwide, fostering better understanding and treatment options for patients with difficult-to-diagnose diseases. In addition, the laboratories collaborate with other institutions and industry partners to bring new diagnostic testing and treatment options to patient care.