A clue to treat chronic leukemia identified: study

A research team including a Korean scientist reportedly identified an oncogene that can lead to atypical chronic myelogenous leukemia.

Atypical chronic myelogenous leukemia, or aCML, is a rare form of the disease that occurs in only 5 percent of all leukemia cases. It shares similar characteristics with typical chronic myelogenour leukemia, but lacks cancer characteristics.

In the study, researchers analyzed the gene sequencing of some 650 patients suffering from aCML and other cancer-related illnesses and discovered that 24 SETBP1 somatic mutant genes are closely related to the outbreak of aCML.

Patients with mutated SETBP1 had a relative high ratio of white blood cells with a poor prognosis, according to the research team.

The international research team which conducted the study is comprised of mainly U.S. and European scientists. Kim Dong-wook, a professor at Catholic University, is the only Asian scientist to participate.

“The discovery of the SETEBP1 gene will help develop aCML-targeted cancer therapy,” Kim said in an interview with local media.

The study is published in Nature Genetics, one of the most prestigious scientific journals.

Park Sui, Intern reporter
(suipark@heraldcorp.com)