Detection of bcr/abl mRNA in a case of chronic myelogenous leukemia in long-term remission: CML or sensitivity of detection?
Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is a myelo-proliferative disorder which, after a chronic phase which lasts an average of 3 years, evolves into an acute disease which is resistant to chemotherapy. Nevertheless, a few studies have reported cases in which partial or complete hematologic, cytogenetic and/or molecular remission of the disease were observed either spontaneously or after non intensive chemotherapy, with or without medullar aplasia. Some of these patients later relapsed into a blast crisis. We report a case of CML with clinical and hematologic remission for 19 years after two cycles of busulphan not causing medullar aplasia, negative for the BCR/ABL gene by Southern blot but with the gene's mRNA detectable by hot start nested RT-PCR.
Anguita
E
E
Department of Haematology, Hospital Universitario San Carlos, Madrid, Spain.
Villegas
A
A
Díaz-Mediavilla
J
J
González
F A
FA
del Potro
E
E
Espinós
D
D
D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002066:Busulfan / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000097:blood; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000097:blood; D012074:Remission Induction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl; D002066:Busulfan