What does ' Molecular Genetics ' mean on the blood request form ?

[keepfit123]

I am wondering if my haematologist added this because of all the questions I keep asking.

[Cllcanada Top Poster CURE Hero]

'The branch of genetics that deals with the expression of genes by studying the DNA sequences of chromosomes.'

It might refer to a FISH test... pretty standard in CLL/SLL in the U.S.

Discussion in high risk CLL

medscape.com/viewarticle/77...

FISH

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluor...

[keepfit123 in reply to Cllcanada]

Would it not tell you then your IGVH mutation status?

[AussieNeil Administrator in reply to keepfit123]

If you live in the right country where there is ready access to a laboratory where this test can be done accurately, you may be able to get your IGVH mutation status reported. Otherwise you may just have to be satisfied with a CD38 status which can be done reliably (part of Flow Cytometry testing) and roughly correlates with IGVH mutation status. (CD38 negative is seen as a surrogate marker for mutated IGVH.)

Australia only has one IGVH mutation testing facility provided at a research centre in support of a CLL trial.

Neil

[Cllcanada Top Poster CURE Hero in reply to keepfit123]

the name was changed to confuse everyone ...

Immunoglobulin Heavy Variable... IGHV...

the gene cluster is IGHV@. The test is very expensive and requires a lab staff that can do it...Southampton, Bournemouth, Leeds, Barts, maybe Cardiff and a few others...

genecards.org/cgi-bin/cardd...

You need to think carefully about these tests, do you want to know which of two groups you fall into? There is a marked difference in TTFT and OS...

updates.clltopics.org/4336-...

IGHV has little to no significance clinically and does not direct treatment... might in the future...

The late Dr. Terry Hamblin was a co-discoverer of IGHV mutations... he had a lot to offer on this blog...

mutated-unmuated.blogspot.c...

[Cllcanada Top Poster CURE Hero in reply to keepfit123]

I think tests are noted and ordered specifically, it may be a doctor note for future reference...

[keepfit123 in reply to Cllcanada]

What's a little bit confusing is that on the blood request form was the word FISH and below it was MOLECULAR GENETICS

[AussieNeil Administrator in reply to keepfit123]

Probably the best thing (if you are comfortable with doing so) is to share your results (or just the tests done without saying what the result was) for some assistance in interpreting them when you finally get them. This is a specialist field and I appreciated assistance with the limited FISH results I got at my diagnosis. Select "Members of this community only" at the "Who can view this post?" question so your question won't be searchable by Bing, Google and Yahoo, or ask via PM.

Neil