Analysis of peripheral blood progenitor cells demonstrates limitations of minimal residual disease diagnosis in a case of acute promyelocytic leukemia.
Detection of minimal residual disease (MRD) by analysis of the PML-RAR alpha fusion transcript using the RT-PCR method is routinely carried out on peripheral blood and bone marrow of patients with APL (AML, FAB:M3). Therapy aims to achieve repeated negative results in these patients thus confirming clinical complete remission. We report a case of APL in second complete remission in which no leukemic cells had been detected in BM and PB for 20 months, and in which PBPC-pheresis was carried out for future transplantation. In two of five pheresis PML-RAR alpha fusion transcripts were detected. This shows that the residual leukemic population may only reach detection level after enrichment by PBPC-pheresis.
Karlic
H I
HI
Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Leukemia Research and Hematology, Vienna, Austria.
Mühlberger
H
H
Pavlova
B G
BG
Pfeilstöcker
M
M
Salamon
J
J
Pittermann
E
E
Heinz
R
R
Koller
E
E
D000328:Adult; D001483:Base Sequence; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D015473:Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000737:chemistry*; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / Q000097:blood*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012074:Remission Induction
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion; C093476:promyelocytic leukemia-retinoic acid receptor alpha fusion oncoprotein