Quest Diagnostics to Present Genomic Studies Related to New Testing Techniques for Leukemia and Prostate Cancer at 2009 AS...( MADISON N.J. May 28 /- Quest Diagnost...)

MADISON, N.J., May 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Quest Diagnostics scientists will present results of three studies revealing the effect of genomic abnormalities on the diagnosis and treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and prostate cancer during the 45th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), scheduled for May 29 through June 2 in Orlando, FL. Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE: DGX) is the world's leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services.

"As a leader in diagnostics for hematologic cancers, we believe our studies will help investigators better understand the mechanism of therapy resistance so they may develop more effective, personalized treatments for subsets of patients with CML. We are also hopeful that our studies on CML may provide the basis for one day developing commercial laboratory tests that will help physicians predict which patients may not respond to conventional CML therapy, so they may begin alternative treatment options sooner," said Maher Albitar, M.D., medical director and chief of Research and Development, Hematology and Oncology, Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute, the esoteric research, development and testing operation of Quest Diagnostics.

"In addition, we are excited by results of a study related to prostate cancer conducted by our oncology diagnostics team at Nichols Institute. While more research is needed, these data may help us to eventually develop a noninvasive test for differentiating patients with prostate cancer from those who have benign prostate hyperplasia, a common condition whose symptoms can mimic cancer," Dr. Albitar said.

The study result abstracts to be shown during the ASCO meeting developed by Quest Diagnostics scientists include:

-- Resistance to imatinib therapy (Gleevec(R)) in patients
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