Around 300,000 new cases of leukaemia are diagnosed globally each year, forming 2.8% of all new cancer cases. Lymphoma makes up around 3.5% of new cancers diagnosed worldwide each year and myeloma is around 1%. Lymphoma starts in the lymph glands, whereas myeloma starts in the bone marrow. Depending on the type of Leukaemia, Leukaemia most often starts in granulocytes, lymphocytes or monocytes in the bone marrow. Cancer Research UK has been researching leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma since the 1970s. Discover some of the discoveries made in these research fields and explore some of the research tools that have been created:

           Understanding Leukaemia

There are several different types of leukaemia including myeloid (acute and chronic), lymphoblastic (acute and chronic), hairy cell and myelomonocytic (chronic and juvenile). Cancer Research UK has carried out research into the genetic cause of chronic myeloid leukaemia, revolutionised bone marrow stem cell transplants and developed new treatments including imatinib. Current Cancer Research UK research is focusing on comparing and combining different types of treatment for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia and studying ways to improve the diagnosis and treatment of follicular lymphoma. The Ximbio portfolio contains a variety of research tools related to leukaemia, including a Cancer Research UK antibody that is useful for the identification and elimination of some leukaemias, an antibody that targets a SS2/36 marker for Acute Lymphocytic Leukaemia, a cell line resistant to imatinib and a series of knock-out research tools with a deletion of the human chromosomal region 13q14. Discover a range of research tools for Leukaemia research on the Ximbio portfolio.

           Researching Lymphoma

Cancer Research UK has several research projects focusing on identifying new treatments for lymphoma. These include a trial looking at rituximab and chemotherapy as a treatment for follicular lymphoma in elderly patients, a trial looking at using molecular profiling to discover information about genes in lymphoma cells and research into how lymphoma cells manipulate surrounding cells to help them grow. Previous Cancer Research UK research into lymphoma led to the discovery of the first human cancer virus, the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). There are several EBV research tools available on the Ximbio portfolio. These include several CR2 targeting antibodies that can be used to identify dendritic reticulum cells in lymphoid tissues and an antibody that targets the EBNA2 protein, that acts as a transcriptional activator of several viral and cellular genes. The Ximbio portfolio also includes several Lymphoma research tools, including a research tool that mimics a chromosomal translocation found in approximately 50% of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL), a Burkitt lymphoma cell line that can be used to study drug resistance after treatment with Interferon and a research tool that expresses the mutant MEF2B, the most common lymphoma associated oncogene.

          Studying Myeloma

Previous Cancer Research UK research led to the identification of how bone marrow stem cells could lead to the presence of myeloma and other blood cancers as well as developing the drug melphalan. In addition, Cancer Research UK researchers identified the genetic variations that influence the chances of someone developing myeloma. Current Cancer Research UK research is focusing on investigating whether the drug ixazomib could help those people whose myeloma has returned, investigating changes in the genetic makeup of cancer as patients are being treated and studying the role of sleeping cells in the development of myeloma. Discover the range of myeloma research tools available on the Ximbio portfolio. These tools include several plasma myeloma cell lines from an advanced multiple myeloma tumour patient and a series of cell lines that generate antibody secreting hybridoma cell lines.

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