USA Health Offers In-House Test For Faster CML Treatment Monitoring

MOBILE, Ala. — A new molecular test at USA Health in Mobile should help physicians make more timely treatment decisions for patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). The standard treatment for CML is an oral therapy that specifically targets the activity of the BCR-ABL fusion protein. Assessing the treatment’s efficacy requires regular monitoring. A blood test, typically performed every three months, measures the level of BCR-ABL mRNA present in the patient’s blood. Previously, said blood samples were shipped to a reference laboratory on the West Coast for testing. There were delays in shipping, and approximately 20% of the specimens did not arrive in satisfactory condition for testing and were rejected. The turnaround time from specimen receipt to test result was 7-10 days. Dr. Thuy Phung, medical director of molecular genetic pathology and dermatopathology at USA Health and associate professor of pathology at the University of South Alabama’s (USA) College of Medicine, has spearheaded efforts to bring the testing in-house to USA Health’s molecular pathology diagnostic laboratory. The new test is Food and Drug Administration-cleared and fully automated. No shipping is needed, and the turnaround time is now 48-72 hours.