title: Detection of BCR-ABL transcripts in acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Indian patients.
abstract: Thirty-three patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) from India were studied for the presence of BCR-ABL chimeric transcripts, by a seminested cDNA-PCR. We report the presence of BCR-ABL chimeric transcripts in 4/17 (24%) children (under 15 years) and 3/16 (19%) adults (15-50 years). This is in sharp contrast to the published literature from the West where the presence of BCR-ABL has been reported in only 2-5% children and 35% adults. Whether the presence of BCR-ABL fusion mRNA, which is generally an attribute of ALL in adults and of poorer prognosis, may contribute to chemo-incurability in young Indian patients, remains to be seen, as a larger number of patients are studied for treatment outcome and survival on uniform therapy protocols.
authors.affiliation: All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gurbuxani
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lacorte
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Raina
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Arya
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pepin
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sazawal
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Marie
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bhargava
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D016313:Genes, abl; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl