Massive Parallel Sequencing of Leukemia Samples Using a Custom Designed Cancer Gene Mutation Panel

Abstract

Leukemia is the result of accumulation of somatic mutations including point mutations, copy number variations, and chromosomal abnormalities. Since multiple mutations can be present in a given leukemia genome, a technology that can detect many mutations in different genes simultaneously is desirable. Next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies allow deep sequencing of numerous mutations and multiple samples at the same time. Among NGS technologies, targeted sequencing is appealing in clinical oncology due to its shorter turnaround time, lower costs, and simpler data analysis compared to whole genome or whole exome sequencing.