• My PCR Awareness Understanding Involvement Community
  • Mi PCR Conciencia Entendimiento Participación Comunidad
  • PCR ของฉัน รับรู้ เข้าใจ มีส่วนร่วม ชุมชน

What Is PCR?

PCR stands for polymerase chain reaction. It’s a diagnostic and monitoring tool used in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and other diseases to measure the response to treatment. PCR is one of the most sensitive ways to detect the level of disease in a person with CML.
Despite its importance, many people living with CML are not able to properly monitor their treatment due to lack of access to or understanding of PCR technology.
My PCR is here to educate and equip people with knowledge and tools for PCR testing.
Resources
Browse through informational and educational resources and tools to learn more about the importance of PCR testing in the diagnosis and monitoring of CML.

Read More
Downloads
Download My PCR logos in your local language. Don’t see your language? Request a translation!

Read More
Partners
My PCR partners are patient advocacy organizations from around the world that make up a coalition committed to promoting global access to PCR testing.

Read More

Our Goals Are To Increase:

Patient
Awareness
of the importance to monitor the level of residual disease
Patient Understanding
of the milestones in CML treatment
Patients Involvement
in their treatment
Community Awareness
of the needs of CML patients

About My PCR

My PCR is a coalition of CML patient advocacy organizations that is collectively raising awareness about the importance of global access to PCR and encouraging dialogue about PCR between patients and their physicians.
Empowering patients to play an active role in their treatment means ensuring that they have the right information for talking about PCR monitoring with physicians and and community members.
Background on Worldwide Access to PCR

There is a significant need to educate patients and physicians of the importance of monitoring residual disease levels and understanding PCR test results. Because CML is a disease that usually requires lifelong treatment, regular monitoring for disease progression is critical to achieving positive outcomes (every 3-6 months depending on patient’s level of response to treatment).

The challenges are 1) PCR testing requires expensive diagnostic equipment that is not available in all countries 2) not all physicians are properly trained on PCR testing for CML patients 3) many CML patients do not understand what PCR testing is and why it is so critical to their health.

My PCR aims to help every person living with CML successfully monitor their treatment using PCR testing. In partnership with patient advocacy organizations around the world, My PCR provides educational information about PCR testing in over 25 languages, offers grants for partners to raise awareness within their local communities and supplies informational tools and resources.

About CML

Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) is characterized by the presence of the Philadelphia Chromosome, a reciprocal translocation between chromosomes 9 and 22 which juxtaposes portions of the BCR (Breakpoint cluster region) and ABL (Abelson) (ABL1) genes, thereby forming the hybrid gene, BCR-ABL1. BCR-ABL1 codes for a constitutively activated tyrosine kinase, which activates signal transduction pathways and leads to unchecked cell division. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), such as imatinib (Gleevec), have transformed the treatment and outcomes for patients with CML, with second-generation TKIs offering effective therapeutic options for patients with resistance to imatinib.

Reliable, regular, sensitive monitoring is important to evaluate the effect of treatment. It is also critical that the treating physician is able to interpret the result appropriately, or has the support to do so. Monitoring BCR-ABL1 transcripts by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has enabled more precise assessment of response to specific therapies for CML. The European Leukemia Network (ELN) is the leading global entity that sets forth guidelines for monitoring CML treatment.

The Max Foundation’s Role In the Campaign

My PCR is coordinated by The Max Foundation to serve the global community of patient advocacy organizations. My PCR was developed in collaboration with the broader CML community, in hopes that all people living with CML around the world will feel part of the initiative.

My PCR is a patient driven initiative led by the coalition of CML-focused organizations who are Campaign Partners in raising awareness about the importance of CML treatment monitoring. Every patient advocacy organization that share this goal is invited to become a partner and are welcome to use the initiative as a way to encourage discussion around the importance of PCR.

The Max Foundation welcomes your feedback towards improving and strengthening My PCR. Please contact us with your ideas.

Receive Updates From Us


Latest My PCR Photos


Facebook
Back to top