The research team at the Genome Sequencing Center and the Siteman Cancer Center at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis said the first-of-its-kind achievement involved sequencing the genome of the patient -- a woman in her 50s who ultimately died of her disease -- and the genome of her leukemia cells, to identify genetic changes unique to her cancer.

"Our work demonstrates the power of sequencing entire genomes to discover novel cancer-related mutations," said senior author Richard Wilson, director of Washington University's Genome Sequencing Center. "A genome-wide understanding of cancer, which is now possible with faster, less expensive DNA sequencing technology, is the foundation for developing more effective ways to diagnose and treat cancer."

The study appears in the journal Nature.