Scientists at York to map blood cancer DNA

An ambitious project to analyse samples from over 20,000 blood cancer patients to identify how differences in their cancer cell’s DNA can influence the success of treatment. The collaboration announced by scientists at the University of York, the NHS and 14M Genomics (14MG), a business that is partnered with the Wellcome Sanger Institute, will search for patterns that can inform doctors and patients about prognosis. 

The project is built around the Haematological Malignancy Research Network (HMRN), which is funded by the blood cancer charity Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research to provide real world data to inform clinical practice and research. 

In partnership with NHS clinicians working across 14 hospitals and the Haematological Malignancy Diagnostic Service (HMDS) at St James's University Hospital in Leeds, HMRN researchers at the University of York compile and analyse clinical data from patients across Yorkshire with blood disorders and cancers such as leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma.

Since its foundation in 2004, the group has compiled data on more than 20,000 patients; all of whom have full treatment, response and outcome data collected to clinical trial standards. 14MG will produce a database of the findings, which will provide a resource for doctors and patients to use to determine the most appropriate treatments for newly diagnosed blood cancers. 

Professor Chris Bunce, Research Director at Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research, said: “Some patients currently respond extremely well to standard treatment and yet others will become resistant. A database that can help doctors predict how a patient’s cancer will progress will be invaluable in guiding treatment decisions. 

“This project is only possible thanks to the foresight shown by Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research to start funding the HMRN over a decade ago. It is now unrivalled worldwide as a source of blood cancer patient data for use in medical research.”