We're pleased to share that the European LeukemiaNet has recently updated their laboratory recommendations for the diagnosis and management of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML). These guidelines are another important step forward in standardising care for patients with CML. It's heartening to note that some of our own publications at UK NEQAS for Leucocyte Immunophenotyping (UK NEQAS LI) were considered in the development of these recommendations. We're honoured to have had the opportunity to contribute to the discourse in this area.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41375-023-02048-y

Acknowledging Dr Debbie Travis

Special mention to Dr Debbie Travis from our team, who assisted with contributions focused on BCR::ABL1 TKD variant (mutation) testing and has been acknowledged by the authors.

The Importance of Updated Guidelines

These revised recommendations offer a valuable resource for healthcare providers involved in the diagnosis and management of CML, and we're glad to be a part of a community that continually seeks to improve and standardise patient care. Feel free to share these updates with your network and here’s to ongoing progress in the fields of laboratory medicine and leukaemia genetics.

We’re excited that the final version of our paper ‘Assessment of acute myeloid leukemia molecular measurable residual disease testing in an interlaboratory study’ is now available: https://ashpublications.org/bloodadvances/article/7/14/3686/494977/Assessment-of-acute-myeloid-leukemia-molecular

We’re already building on this work by looking at ways we can improve molecular AML MRD testing as part of our Knowledge Transfer Partnership collaboration with the National Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Biological Standards and Controls and the UK Accreditation Service: https://www.npl.co.uk/leaders-in-healthcare-science

The talks from our webinar are still available on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCRdBttSCjlB2I6KR6toBSvSnz7-Ue1iI

The European Union In Vitro Diagnostics Regulation [Regulation (EU) 2017/746 (EU IVDR)] was implemented on the 26th of May 2022.  A statement of the application of the IVDR to external quality assessment (EQA) services can be found here.

UK NEQAS LI are delighted to say that the talks from our Best Practice and Standardisation of Molecular Measurable Residual Disease Testing in Leukaemia webinar are now available at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-nD3u65dTAo09gNBeFTeWA

The webinar is the first phase of a knowledge transfer partnership assessing the need for further standardisation of measurable residual disease testing in AML selected by the Chief Scientific Officer as part of their 2022 programme

https://www.npl.co.uk/leaders-in-healthcare-science - current projects

Knowledge transfer partnerships are collaborations at a senior level of NHS scientists with partner organisations including the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) and partner organisations that collectively deliver the UK's National Measurement System (NMS); The National Measurement Laboratory (NML) hosted at LGC; The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and The National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC). By facilitating early interaction and knowledge exchange, the programme aims to speed up the identification and dissemination of high value new approaches to improving patient outcomes and increasing efficiency, while also promoting economic growth and inward investment in the Life Sciences.

The objectives of the webinar were to:

• To improve basic knowledge of molecular measurable residual disease (MRD) testing
• To share best practice for MRD testing
• To look at the current use of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) MRD testing and assess what more can be done to reduce intra and inter laboratory variation

As part of the continuous development of our EQA/PT provision we will be introducing a number of updates to our flow cytometry and molecular haematology programmes in 2022-2023.

The re-registration period for the 2023-2024 year opens on the 1st February 2023.

Please see the molecular and flow cytometry pages on the website for further details. 

UK NEQAS LI has recently assessed the implementation of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) haematological cancers improving outcomes guidelines (NG47) across Specialist Integrated Haematological Malignancy Diagnostic Services in England. Read about the findings here:

https://jcp.bmj.com/content/early/2022/05/03/jclinpath-2021-208075

UK NEQAS LI was recently part of an international harmonized study for data analysis in the evaluation of multiple myeloma residual disease by high sensitivity flow cytometry. Read about the findings here:

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/cyto.b.22053

Read the latest publication from UK NEQAS LI that has assessed the impact of the 2017 European LeukemiaNet recommendations on FLT3 allelic ratio calculation and reporting in AML:

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bjh.18023

Please find below the UK NEQAS LI programme flyers for 2023/2024.

UK NEQAS for Leucocyte Immunophenotyping (UK NEQAS LI) now has a Facebook page and a Twitter account. We will be posting important messages to these accounts relating to our schemes so please like or follow us, respectively.

We hope that these feeds will act as a useful eductational resource for participants and collaborators alike, collating interesting papers, conference info, videos and news stories in haemato-oncology. As we develop our online presence we hope to publish some of our own educational content. If you have any feedback or ideas as to content you would like us to include, please do not hesitate to get in touch.