title: An investigation of the t(12;21) rearrangement in children with B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukaemia using cytogenetic and molecular methods.
abstract: The t(12;21) is the commonest recurrent translocation in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), the presence of which has been suggested to be a good prognostic feature. We have studied 22 childhood cases of B-precursor ALL with this rearrangement, and have found no significant differences in event-free survival between these and a control group of patients with similar phenotypes. Using a variety of cytogenetic and molecular techniques, we have confirmed a strong association with co-expression of myeloid markers, frequent deletions of the short-arm of the untranslocated chromosome 12 homologue and duplication of the derivative chromosome 21. Intragenic deletion of the untranslocated ETV6 gene in 3/12 informative patients points to the likelihood of this gene being a target for deletion.
authors.affiliation: LRF Centre for Childhood Leukaemia, Department of Molecular Haematology, Institute of Child Health, London.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kempski
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chalker
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chessells
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sturt
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brickell
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Webb
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Clink
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Reeves
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002881:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 12 / Q000235:genetics*; D002891:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 21 / Q000235:genetics*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D015321:Gene Rearrangement; D006801:Humans; D007621:Karyotyping; D019656:Loss of Heterozygosity; D008297:Male; D015452:Precursor B-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000235:genetics*; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D014178:Translocation, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*