[Minimal residual disease in malignant diseases of the blood I. Background and pre-clinical validation]. / Minimal restsygdom ved maligne blodsygdomme I. Baggrund og praeklinisk validering.

In haematological malignancies, molecular markers like fusion DNA from balanced translocations, point mutations, or over-expressed genes can now be used not only for diagnosis, but also for determination of the minimal residual disease (MRD) after cytoreduction with a sensitivity by far exceeding that of previous methodologies. The sensitivity of quantitative polymerase chain reaction typically reaches a validated identification of 1 malignant cell in 100,000.

[Minimal residual disease in malignant diseases of the blood II. Translation and therapeutic consequences]. / Minimal restsygdom ved maligne blodsygdomme II. Translation og terapeutiske konsekvenser.

The translation of quantitative polymerase chain reaction technology for the quantitative detection of minimal residual disease (MRD) arising from molecular aberrations in leukaemias has progressed from the pre-clinical setting to daily clinical practice. Thus, it is now part of the mainstay in following patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia treated with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor imatinib. Moreover, the methodology is being integrated in an increasing number of clinical trials, where it is expected to result in more rational and individualized clinical decision-making. A special point in favour of the techniques is the powerful and early detection of disease relapses, in some cases up to one year prior to clinical detection.