More than 50 years ago, researchers detected typical chromosomal abnormalities in blood cells of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). These are an unusually small chromosome 22 and a longer chromosome 9. These mutations were the first genetic alterations regularly linked to a distinct form of human cancer. In addition, this discovery was the basis for the development of the first drug targeting a gene product resulting from a tumor specific gene mutation.

BCR-ABL1 and the Philadelphia chromosome – Part 2: The Philadelphia chromosome
BCR-ABL1 and the Philadelphia chromosome – Part 3: The BCR-ABL fusion protein
BCR-ABL1 and the Philadelphia chromosome – Part 4: Therapy of tumors with BCR-ABL1 fusion proteins