Genetic testing program in Halifax guides donor selection, saves leukemia patient’s life
A hereditary genetic testing program at IWK’s Precision Medicine centre in Halifax identified a donor-compatibility risk for a leukemia patient, enabling a successful bone-marrow transplant.
In Halifax, the IWK Maritime Centre for Precision Medicine has pioneered Canada’s inaugural hereditary myeloid malignancy testing program. Ryan White, diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in 2020, experienced a relapse that required a bone-marrow transplant. Genetic analysis, developed by hematologist Amy Trottier, uncovered a hereditary mutation that would have caused disease recurrence if his perfectly matched sibling donor had been used.
The result prompted clinicians to select a different donor and customize chemotherapy dosing based on his genetic profile. White credits the program for his five-year remission. IWK Health, one of only two Canadian sites offering the test, now functions as a referral centre for patients nationwide, extending its genetics services beyond women and children.
Why it matters
The program shows how precision genetics can improve transplant outcomes and guide cancer treatment across Canada.
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