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Molecular Testing—A Closer Look at Your Response

Molecular testing (also called quantitative polymerase chain reaction or QPCR) is the most sensitive test available to people with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). It can be used to help diagnose CML and determine how well you are responding to treatment
QPCR tests measure extremely small amounts of leukemia cells that cannot be detected in a cytogenetic test. While cytogenetic tests can detect one CML cell from a sample of 20 to 500 cells, molecular testing can detect one CML cell among 1 million cells
For molecular testing, a blood or bone marrow sample is used to count the molecular signals (called BCR-ABL transcripts) that lead to the growth of leukemia cells

Complete Hematologic Response (CHR)

Complete Cytogenetic Response (CCyR)

Complete Molecular Response

Adapted from Löwenberg B, et al. Minimal residual disease in chronic myeloid leukemia. N Engl J Med. 2003:1399-1401.

Achieving a complete molecular response means you have so few leukemia cells that the most sensitive test is unable to detect your disease

Record your test results in the Treatment Milestones Tracker

Molecular Testing Schedule

Treatment guidelines recommend that molecular testing begin when you are diagnosed with CML
Molecular tests should be done about every 3 to 6 months to evaluate the effectiveness of your treatment. The results can also help your doctor evaluate how you may respond to treatment over time

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