Empowered Patient Podcast Measurable Residual Disease Tools Identify Monitor Quantify Cancer Cells with Allison Jacob Adaptive Biotechnologies
Allison Jacob, Senior Medical Director at Adaptive Biotechnologies, uses their technology to decode the genetic language of the immune system and develop clinical diagnostics and therapeutics for hematologic malignancies. With a focus on the adaptive immune system and the receptors of B and T cells, the platform is used to identify, monitor and precisely quantify tumor cells over time. In the past, MRD stood for minimal residual disease, but due to more accurate testing, the goal now is measurable residual disease, MRD, negativity.
Allison explains, "The clonoSEQ technology essentially looks at rearrangements in the DNA of proteins that are expressed on B cells, and we're harnessing something that the immune system created for us. So, unlike other genes that we talk about in cancer, let's say like BRCA1, where you have a normal version of that and a mutated version of that, B-cell receptors are constantly having to shuffle and create new gDNA sequences, again, to be able to recognize these foreign invaders."
"What that means is that within this very small region of DNA, let's say 150 to 200 base pairs, there's a diversity upwards of 10-12. So, when we talk about clonoSEQ as a clinical diagnostic, what that means is that these sequences are unique and are expressed by that tumor cell and its progeny and can be used essentially as a barcode to track and quantify that tumor over time."
"I think one of the most important aspects we spoke to a little bit ago is having a deeper understanding of how and if the patient is responding to therapy. So even if a patient is in a complete response, we know that if they're MRD positive, they have a higher likelihood of relapse. So, identifying patients with the best prognosis, complete response, and MRD negative can be very helpful in understanding what's coming."
#AdaptiveBiotechnologies #PrecisionDiagnostics #PatientEmpowerment #MRD #Myeloma #clonoSEQ #Immunosequencing