[Detection of TCR gamma gene in acute lymphoblastic leukemia after remission and its clinical significance].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the quantitative evaluation of chemotherapy efficiency in patients with acute leukemia and its clinical significance.


METHODS
Clonal rearrangement of T-cell receptor gamma gene in ALL was detected quantitatively by using competitive PCR.


RESULTS
One handred and fifty-eight samples were collected from 54 childhood ALL. The median follow-up duration was 33.5 months. At remission, the amount of leukemic cells in 36 cases was less than 1 x 10(-5), and in 18, was (354 +/- 327) x 10(-5). The efficiency of induction therapy was related significantly to the amount of the detectable residual leukemic cells in the early remission phase and to clinical relapse. In some patients in remission, the amount of leukemic cells persistently under 1 x 10(-5) without clinical relapse.


CONCLUSIONS
Quantitative evaluation of the chemotherapy efficiency is helpful for individualized treatment.
Liu
L
L
Pediatric Department of People's Hospital, Beijing Medical University, Beijing 100044.
Sun
J
J
Yin
H
H
D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015334:Gene Rearrangement, gamma-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor; D019675:Genes, T-Cell Receptor gamma; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics*; D012074:Remission Induction