Story of the Ph+

[Guest guest]

Phoenix Pat sent this to me and I thought we might share some memories, those of

you who do know this and for the newcomers coming onboard and are not aware of

why it's called a Philadelphia chromosome.

What a symposium that must have been to have the original members and other

oncologists and scientists who were part of that group that came together 50

years ago, all together on the same stage for a large reunion. We all owe them

a debt of gratitude, otherwise we would still be in the dark ages. The quotes

below are from Pat's article, brilliantly done by one of our own members.

" The event marked the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the first genetic

abnormality associated with cancer, and the first to lead to a targeted therapy

for cancer. Members of the oncology community, including scientists associated

with the original discovery, celebrated the discovery’s impact on science and

medicine as well as the state of personalized medicine today.

" What does this discovery from a half century ago mean for patients a half

century from now? It paved the way for the real potential to transform many

cancers into chronic diseases. The Philadelphia chromosome was discovered in

1959 when A. Hungerford, a graduate student at Fox Chase Cancer Center,

and C. Nowell, a University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

pathologist, detected an abnormality on chromosome 22 in cells taken from

patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). This chromosomal abnormality

became known as the Philadelphia chromosome, for the city where it was

discovered. The 1960 publication of their research marked the first scientific

discovery to lead to a targeted therapy for cancer. Today, many patients with

CML live with cancer as a chronic condition by taking imatinib mesylate (brand

name: Gleevec), a drug therapy that targets the cancer-causing protein produced

by the Philadelphia chromosome. "

http://preview.tinyurl.com/2bkwzug