SE-HMDS Cytogenetics Laboratory at King's College Hospital

Laboratory overview

The Cytogenetics laboratory at Kings College Hospital is a comprehensive and highly specialised haematological malignancy cytogenetics service that forms part of the South East Haematological Malignancy Diagnostics Service (SE-HMDS).

We are a large dynamic team with a wealth of technical expertise, knowledge, energy and drive. We provide a fully comprehensive service that includes both karyotype analysis and fluorescence in-situ hybridisation (FISH) assays for a wide variety of haematology neoplasms, working closely with the other specialist SE-HMDS laboratories to provide a unified genomics testing strategy.

As part of the integrated SE-HMDS report, fully interpreted karyotype and FISH reports are provided, detailing relevant diagnostic, prognostic and treatment implications of findings. 

The laboratory is UKAS accredited medical laboratory (No. 9092) to ISO 15189:2022  and  participates in all appropriate EQA schemes (GenQA). A robust internal auditing system is also in operation to ensure quality of analysis, interpretation and reporting.

Key features:

• Comprehensive reflex testing based on morphological and immunophenotypic findings, ensuring clinically relevant and informative cytogenetic investigations are performed.
• Extensive analysis of acute leukaemias, including karyotype analysis and rapid comprehensive FISH analysis for appropriate cytogenetic aberrations (see user guide for full details).
• Rapid detection of PML::RARA or variant fusions in APL by FISH.
• Full cytogenetic analysis of myelodysplastic neoplasms (MDS) and myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms (MDS/MPN). Single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array high resolution whole genome analysis (performed in Molecular Haemato-Oncology laboratory) for low risk MDS.
• FISH analysis for characterisation of Mature B-cell neoplasms.
• Rapid detection of BCR::ABL1 by FISH for CML if indicated, and a broad eosinophilia FISH panel for detection of clinically actionable gene fusions.
• Automated cell purification of plasma cells for Multiple Myeloma (MM), with FISH analysis to detect prognostically-relevant abnormalities.

Our current test Request Forms can be seen on the SE Genomics website under 'Cancer (haematological malignancy) tests: Test order forms - South East Genomics : South East Genomics

Our current user guide can be seen below: