Identification, characterisation and therapeutic targeting of leukaemic stem/propagating cells in Acute Myeloid Leukaemia

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There are ~3000 new cases a year in the UK of Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML). This is the most common aggressive leukaemia. Despite advances in treating patients under the age of 60 years, 50% of these patients still die of their disease. Furthermore, 80% of patients are over the age of 60 and in this age group only 5% of patients are cured. Thus, we need to improve therapy. AML mainly arises sporadically through acquisition of genetic changes in DNA in multiple genes that regulate the complex process of blood cell production. In some patients there is a preleukaemia condition called Myelodysplasia (MDS). One way to further our understanding AML is to define the compendium of genetic changes throughout all our DNA in both AML and MDS and assess how changes deregulate normal blood stem and progenitor cells and transform them into cancerous populations. This necessary information provides a rational platform for future developments to directly benefit patient care. Furthermore study of MDS and AML provides a model to discover general principles in cancer biology and therapy.