title: Relation of BAALC and ERG Gene Expression with Overall Survival in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objectives of this study were to evaluate the expression of brain and acute leukemia, cytoplasmic (BAALC) gene and erythroblast transformation-specific related gene (ERG) in de novo cases of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and identify roles in disease progression and outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 50 newly diagnosed AML patients, along with 10 apparently healthy normal controls. BAALC and ERG expression was detected in the bone marrow of both patients and controls using real-time RT-PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BAALC and ERG expression was detected in 52% of cases but not in any controls. There was a statistically significant correlation between BAALC and ERG gene expression and age (p- value=0.004 and 0.019, respectively). No statistical significance was noted for sex, lymphadenopathy, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, other hematological findings, immunophenotyping and FAB sub-classification except for ERG gene and FAB (p-value=0.058). A statistical significant correlation was found between response to treatment with ERG expression (p-value=0.028) and age (p-value=0.014). A statistically significant variation in overall survival was evident with patient age, BM blast cells, FAB subgroups, BAALC and ERG expression (p-value= <0.001, 0.045, 0.041, <0.008 and 0.025 respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that BAALC and ERG genes are specific significant molecular markers in AML disease progression, response to treatment and survival.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Pathology, Medicine, National Cancer Institute, Cairo, Egypt E-mail : Reham_r9@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Reham A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Rashed
authors.forename: Dalia Y
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Kadry
authors.forename: Maha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: El Taweel
authors.forename: Nahed
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Abd El Wahab
authors.forename: Thoreya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Abd El Hameed
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000378:metabolism; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology; D018450:Disease Progression; D004534:Egypt; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D000071230:Transcriptional Regulator ERG; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: C442828:BAALC protein, human; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C072312:ERG protein, human; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D000071230:Transcriptional Regulator ERG