Minimal residual disease in chronic myeloid leukaemia patients.
In many ways, chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) serves as a paradigm for the utility of molecular methods in the diagnosis of malignancy or for monitoring the response of the patient to therapy. The Philadelphia (Ph) translocation provides an elegant example of how cytogenetic findings provided the starting point for understanding the genetic mechanisms involved in leukaemogenesis. The degree of reduction in tumour load after therapy is an important prognostic factor for CML patients. Several approaches have been introduced that can specifically detect the Ph translocation or its products; these approaches include fluorescent in situ hybridization, Southern blotting, western blotting and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Because non-quantitative RT-PCR analysis after therapy gives only limited information, quantitative or semiquantitative RT-PCR assays have been developed that enable the kinetics of residual BCR-ABL transcripts to be monitored over time in patients after allogeneic stem cell transplantation, interferon-alpha, or STI571 therapy.
Hochhaus
Andreas
A
Fakultät für Klinische Medizin Mannheim der Universität Heidelberg, III. Medizinische Universitätsklinik, Wiesbadener Strasse 7-11, 68305 Mannheim, Germany.
D020732:Cytogenetic Analysis; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl