A patient undergoes surgery to have cancerous leukemia tissu

A patient undergoes surgery to have cancerous (leukemia) tissue removed. What would you do to detect the presence or absence of the transplanted tissue in the patient? It is important in determining whether the new tissue has adapted and is functioning within the patient.

-Please include knowledge of DNA fingerprinting.

Solution

ANSWER:

Scientists developed the test after deciphering the full genomes of tumour tissue taken from six patients. Most cancers contain large-scale rearrangements of genetic material that aren\'t seen in healthy tissue, so they can be used as a genetic fingerprint for the tumour.

The detection of DNA changes unique to individual cancers has proved to be a powerful tool in guiding the treatment of leukaemia. If this can be done for other types of cancer like bowel, breast and prostate it will help us to bring new treatments to patients better and faster than ever.