[Clinical factors that affect the detection of BCR-ABL transcripts after allogenic bone marrow transplantation for chronic myeloid leukemia].
BACKGROUND
To evaluate the relationship between clinical parameters and the ability to detect BCR-ABL-positive cells in a series of 27 long survivor patients after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) for chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML).


METHODS
A total of 78 samples obtained between 1 and 160 months after BMT were analyzed for the presence of the BCR-ABL transcript detected by the reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using nested primers. Median follow up was 83 months.


RESULTS
16 patients were persistently PCR-positive and 7 patients persistently PCR-negative. The original transcript became negative in four patients. Only two of the positive cases developed hematologic relapse during the period of study. High white blood cell counts before BMT (17.88 vs 10.12 x 10(9)/l; p = 0.008) and immunosuppressive therapy for chronic graft-versus-host disease (p < 0.05) were associated with an increased ability to detect residual BCR-ABL positive cells.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data show that most patient are persistently BCR-ABL positive after BMT for CML. If these findings represents a dynamic balance between the tumour burden prior BMT and the immunological capability of the graft must be confirmed in further studies.
Román
J
J
Servicio de Hematología, Hospital Reina Sofía, Córdoba.
García
M J
MJ
Martín
C
C
Sánchez
J
J
Serrano
J
J
Falcón
M
M
Castillejo
J A
JA
Navarro
J A
JA
Flores
R
R
Torres
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl
Factores clínicos que influyen en la detección de transcritos BCR-ABL después del trasplante de médula ósea alogénico por leucemia mieloide crónica.