Identification of inflammasome signatures for the prediction of successful treatment-free remission (TFR) in chronic Myeloid Leukaemia

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Studentship strategic priority area: Stem Cell ScienceAbstract: Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) is a haematological cancer characterised by expansion of haematopoietic stem cells and unregulated production of granulocytic blood cells. The prognosis of patients with CML has greatly improved over the past 20 years since the introduction of targeted therapies called Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (TKIs), with many patients being able to achieve molecular remission and having close to normal life expectancy. However, the lifelong use of TKIs has many physiological, psychological and economic side effects. There is a subset of patients on TKIs, which could potentially stop treatment and achieve treatment-free remission (TFR). These patients are in deep molecular remission however it is not well understood which patients are able to achieve TFR and why. This project will look to identify potential biomarkers that predict which patients are good candidates for TFR. This will be performed using proteomic analysis of bone marrow plasma samples that were obtained from patients who took part in the DESTINY clinical trial. This trial aimed to gradually reduce and eventually stop TKI treatment. Samples at trial entry will be compared for patients who achieved TFR with those who went on to relapse.