title: [Usefulness of molecular screening in childhood lymphoblastic leukemias].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To demonstrate that a molecular screening by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of TEL/AML1, E2A/PBX1 and BCR/ABL genes in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is a rapid method that allows one to exceed the percentage of adult patients with the BCR/ABL rearrangement.
  
  
  METHODS
  12 Spanish children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia were studied, 11 of them newly diagnosed and 1 relapsed. The patients were between 18 months and 10 years old. Bone marrow aspiration was collected between april and december 1996, RNA was isolated and cDNA was subjected to PCR amplification for TEL/AML1, E2A/PBX1 and BCR/ABL genes. Normal ABL and E2A genes were studied as amplification controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One of these hybrid genes was found in 33.3% of patients studied. TEL/AML1 in two cases (16.6%), E2A/PBX1 in one case (8.3%) and BCR/ABL in another one (8.3%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  On the basis of these data it would be useful to achieve a molecular screening of TEL/AML1, E2A/PBX1 and BCR/ABL genes in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukaemia for allowing a molecular classification in a great percentage of patients that exceed the BCR/ABL positivity in adults.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Hematología y Hemoterapia, Hospital Universitario San Carlos de Madrid.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Anguita
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Contra
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Martín
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Valverde
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Villegas
mesh_terms: D000782:Aneuploidy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D050676:Core Binding Factor Alpha 2 Subunit; D005260:Female; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / Q000235:genetics; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015452:Precursor B-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics*; D014178:Translocation, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D000097764:ETS Translocation Variant 6 Protein
chemical_list: D050676:Core Binding Factor Alpha 2 Subunit; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; C102421:TEL-AML1 fusion protein; D000097764:ETS Translocation Variant 6 Protein; C089847:E2A-Pbx1 fusion protein
vernacular_title: Utilidad de un screening molecular en las leucemias linfoblásticas pediátricas.