In Canada, acute leukemia remains the leading cause of cancer deaths amongst young adults. Despite significant progress in treating a rare subset of acute myeloid leukemias (AML), most patients diagnosed with this disease will die within a few years of diagnosis. Although chromosome analysis of leukemic cells currently represents the most important tool to establish the prognosis of patients suffering from AML, this tool is proven inefficient in almost 50% of patients.
Researchers involved in this project have developed the necessary research infrastructure (Banque de cellules leucémiques du Québec (BCLQ) at Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont and IRIC, the expertise (high-throughput sequencing) and advanced analytic tools in bioinformatics to identify novel genetic alterations which will aid in predicting prognosis in AML patients and by developing new markers to allow better treatment for these patients.
Co-applicants:
| Frédéric | Barabé | CHUL Research Center |
| Michel | Bouvier | Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) |
| Josée | Hébert | Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont |
| Sebastien | Lemieux | Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) |
| Brian | Wilhelm | Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) |