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Minimal residual disease (MRD) testing in Canada
Does anyone know if minimal residual disease (MRD) testing for multiple myeloma patients is available in Canada?
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Little Monkey - Name: Little Monkey
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Father-stage 1 multiple myeloma
- When were you/they diagnosed?: March/April of 2015
Re: Minimal residual disease (MRD) testing in Canada
My impression from the other posts on minimal residual disease (MRD) is that it is not being routinely used around the world. Rather, it is a proposed method to detect very small amounts of residual myeloma. No doubt this would be useful in distinguishing amongst various treatment options, especially now that some of the recently developed treatments work so well. I suspect minimal residual disease testing will first show its mettle in drug trials. If it works well there and is reasonably priced, then maybe it will become part of the normal protocol for treating myeloma.
As I have only been recently diagnosed with myeloma, I still have a lot to learn about this disease. Last week my hematologist made arrangements for me to start treatment with cyclophosphamide, Velcade, and dexamethasone (CyBorD) tomorrow at Saint Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver. Before agreeing to undergo this process, I asked her how she would monitor the efficacy of my treatment. She said this will be done by tracking my protein levels.
My hematologist has been very good in answering my questions. If you are worried about your Dad’s circumstances, perhaps you can ask his hematologist if minimal residual disease testing will play a role in his treatment.
Good luck to Dad.
As I have only been recently diagnosed with myeloma, I still have a lot to learn about this disease. Last week my hematologist made arrangements for me to start treatment with cyclophosphamide, Velcade, and dexamethasone (CyBorD) tomorrow at Saint Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver. Before agreeing to undergo this process, I asked her how she would monitor the efficacy of my treatment. She said this will be done by tracking my protein levels.
My hematologist has been very good in answering my questions. If you are worried about your Dad’s circumstances, perhaps you can ask his hematologist if minimal residual disease testing will play a role in his treatment.
Good luck to Dad.
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Wobbles - Name: Joe
- Who do you know with myeloma?: myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: June 2016
- Age at diagnosis: 67
Re: Minimal residual disease (MRD) testing in Canada
I cannot give a good answer to the question posed by Little Monkey with respect to MRD in Canada. I will give a more general answer. It is my understanding that the leader in MRD testing is not the US, but Spain. In this respect, "competition" could be a good thing, whereby the differing countries are feeling the pressure to advance the state of the art.
Good luck to all.
Good luck to all.
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JPC - Name: JPC
Re: Minimal residual disease (MRD) testing in Canada
Thanks for the responses
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Little Monkey - Name: Little Monkey
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Father-stage 1 multiple myeloma
- When were you/they diagnosed?: March/April of 2015
Re: Minimal residual disease (MRD) testing in Canada
Hi Little Monkey.
I was researching this topic for another post a few weeks ago. Minimal residual disease (MRD) testing is certainly available in Canada, but it is not clear if it is covered for myeloma yet. I'd suggest you check with your specialists.
It is being used for pediatric leukemia; see, for example, these papers:
Health Quality Ontario, "Minimal Residual Disease Evaluation in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: An Economic Analysis", 2016 (full text of article)
Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario MRD Provincial Working Group, "Minimal residual disease (MRD) and childhood leukemia: standard of care position paper", 2014
MRD testing appears to be done in BC, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, in addition to Ontario. I couldn't find anything on Quebec. The company Adaptive Biotechnologies manufactures minimal residual disease testing equipment. The company is based in Seattle, but perhaps you could contact them to find out if they know of centers in Canada offering myeloma-related MRD testing.
Hope this helps.
rick
I was researching this topic for another post a few weeks ago. Minimal residual disease (MRD) testing is certainly available in Canada, but it is not clear if it is covered for myeloma yet. I'd suggest you check with your specialists.
It is being used for pediatric leukemia; see, for example, these papers:
Health Quality Ontario, "Minimal Residual Disease Evaluation in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: An Economic Analysis", 2016 (full text of article)
Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario MRD Provincial Working Group, "Minimal residual disease (MRD) and childhood leukemia: standard of care position paper", 2014
MRD testing appears to be done in BC, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, in addition to Ontario. I couldn't find anything on Quebec. The company Adaptive Biotechnologies manufactures minimal residual disease testing equipment. The company is based in Seattle, but perhaps you could contact them to find out if they know of centers in Canada offering myeloma-related MRD testing.
Hope this helps.
rick
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rick - Name: rick
- Who do you know with myeloma?: husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: nov 2015
- Age at diagnosis: 50
Re: Minimal residual disease (MRD) testing in Canada
Thanks for all the information Rick.
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Little Monkey - Name: Little Monkey
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Father-stage 1 multiple myeloma
- When were you/they diagnosed?: March/April of 2015
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