History
Milestones
13-June-2005 - LGC launches new colon cancer
screening service at InSiGHT Conference
LGC´s new genetic diagnostic service debuts at InSiGHT
Conference.
LGC, Europe´s leading independent analytical laboratory
providing advanced chemical, biochemical and forensic analysis will
be launching its new screening service of the genes associated with
non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) with a stand at the First
Conference of InSiGHT (International Society
for Gastrointestinal Hereditary Tumours), at the Hilton Newcastle
Gateshead, 14 - 17 June 2005. LGC is also the primary sponsor of
the UK CGG (Cancer Genetics Group) meeting, a satellite meeting
which will run alongside the conference on 14 June.
The new service, which will be offered to European as well as
NHS customers, is the screening of the DNA mismatch repair genes
hMLH1, hMSH2 and hMSH6 for variations that may be associated with
HNPCC. Developed and validated in a series of blind trials with
collaborator groups within and outside the NHS, including three
separate colon cancer centres and the Life Knowledge Park in
Newcastle, LGC´s colon cancer screening service provides the
assignation and reporting of exact mutations and positions and
detection of single nucleotide variants. It is an ISO 17025 and
IVDD compliant service and promises rapid turnaround times to meet
the individual referrer´s requirements.
Dr Paul Debenham, Director of Life Sciences at LGC, said:
"The detection of inherited mutations in certain key genes
linked to cancers can provide both diagnostic information about the
disease in specific patients, and also enable predictive screening
of family members. Using mass spectrometry combined with LGC´s
proprietary analysis software, we are now able to rapidly detect
exact changes in the DNA of a given patient, and simultaneously
characterise the gene mutation with base change and position
assigned in one single step." He added:"We are also able
to analyse considerable additional DNA sequences adjacent to the
actual coding DNA so as to provide a more comprehensive sweep of
the gene information. We are therefore delighted to be at the First
Conference of InSiGHT to launch this reliable, rapid and
cost-effective gene sequence screening service."
In addition to launching the service, LGC´s Life Sciences
R&D Manager, Jim Thomson, will give a presentation on ´Mutation
Detection using MALDI-ToF Mass Spectrometry - A Validated Science´,
at the UK CGG (Cancer Genetics Group) satellite meeting at the
Centre for Life at 13.35pm, 14 June.