title: Prognostic importance of expression of the Wilms' tumor 1 gene in newly diagnosed acute promyelocytic leukemia.
abstract: Wilms' tumor 1 gene (WT1) is known to be highly expressed in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) but information on its impact on prognosis is lacking. WT1 expression was analyzed in bone marrow samples of 79 patients with APL at initial diagnosis. Patients had a differing outcome according to their level of WT1 expression. In patients who achieved a complete remission (CR), low or high WT1 expression was significantly associated with inferior overall survival (OS) compared to intermediate WT1 expression (49% for WT1high vs. 63% for WT1low vs. 93% for WT1int; p=0.008). Moreover, there were significant differences in relapse-free survival (RFS) between the three expression groups (42% for WT1high vs. 63% for WT1low vs. 83% for WT1int; p=0.047). In multivariable analysis WT1 expression showed an independent prognostic impact on OS of responders to induction therapy. In conclusion, the level of WT1 expression can add prognostic information in APL risk stratification.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Hematology and Oncology , University Hospital Mannheim, University of Heidelberg , Germany.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hecht
authors.affiliation: a Department of Hematology and Oncology , University Hospital Mannheim, University of Heidelberg , Germany.
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nolte
authors.affiliation: a Department of Hematology and Oncology , University Hospital Mannheim, University of Heidelberg , Germany.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nowak
authors.affiliation: a Department of Hematology and Oncology , University Hospital Mannheim, University of Heidelberg , Germany.
authors.forename: Verena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nowak
authors.affiliation: a Department of Hematology and Oncology , University Hospital Mannheim, University of Heidelberg , Germany.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reinwald
authors.affiliation: a Department of Hematology and Oncology , University Hospital Mannheim, University of Heidelberg , Germany.
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hanfstein
authors.affiliation: b Institute of Biostatistics and Clinical Research, University of Münster , Münster , Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Faldum
authors.affiliation: c Department of Hematology/Oncology , University of Münster , Münster , Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Büchner
authors.affiliation: d Department of Hematology/Oncology , University of Munich , Munich , Germany.
authors.forename: Karsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Spiekermann
authors.affiliation: b Institute of Biostatistics and Clinical Research, University of Münster , Münster , Germany.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sauerland
authors.affiliation: e Department for Medical Statistics and Biomathematics , Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg , Germany.
authors.forename: Christel
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.affiliation: a Department of Hematology and Oncology , University Hospital Mannheim, University of Heidelberg , Germany.
authors.forename: Wolf-Karsten
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Hofmann
authors.affiliation: a Department of Hematology and Oncology , University Hospital Mannheim, University of Heidelberg , Germany.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lengfelder
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D001706:Biopsy; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D015473:Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D012074:Remission Induction; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D025721:WT1 Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D025721:WT1 Proteins
keywords: Acute promyelocytic leukemia; WT1; overall survival; prognosis; relapse-free survival