Genetic Test Aids Bone Marrow Transplants

A new genetic probe uses fluorescence in situ hybridizarion (FISH) technology to identify the chromosomal gender of bone marrow cells within a patient sample. The automated application has been cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Bone marrow transplantation is an important therapeutic strategy in the management of leukemias and other blood-based cancers. A comparison of the proportion of cells belonging to the bone marrow donor versus the recipient is used to evaluate engraftment success in recipients of sex-mismatched bone marrow transplants. The probe is an adjunct to standard karyotyping, or routine chromosome analysis.

This analysis of the X and Y chromosomes is made on the automated CytoVision system of Applied Imaging (San Jose, CA, USA; www.aicorp.com). The application employs the CEP X spectrum orange/CEP Y spectrum green DNA probe kit from Vysis, Inc. (Downer's Grove, IL).

"This application provides our customers with an important diagnostic tool to better manage leukemias,” noted Robin Stracey, CEO of Applied Imaging. "Our aim is to provide our customers with a broad array of solutions that help to improve significantly the diagnosis, therapy selection, and monitoring of a wide variety of cancerous conditions.”






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