Detection of bcr/abl mRNA in a case of chronic myelogenous leukemia in long-term remission: CML or sensitivity of detection?

Haematologica. 1998 Aug;83(8):744-7.

Abstract

Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is a myelo-proliferative disorder which, after a chronic phase which lasts an average of 3 years, evolves into an acute disease which is resistant to chemotherapy. Nevertheless, a few studies have reported cases in which partial or complete hematologic, cytogenetic and/or molecular remission of the disease were observed either spontaneously or after non intensive chemotherapy, with or without medullar aplasia. Some of these patients later relapsed into a blast crisis. We report a case of CML with clinical and hematologic remission for 19 years after two cycles of busulphan not causing medullar aplasia, negative for the BCR/ABL gene by Southern blot but with the gene's mRNA detectable by hot start nested RT-PCR.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / blood*
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics
  • Blotting, Southern
  • Busulfan / therapeutic use
  • Female
  • Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / blood*
  • Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / genetics
  • Humans
  • Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / diagnosis*
  • Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / drug therapy
  • Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / pathology
  • Neoplasm, Residual
  • RNA, Messenger / blood
  • RNA, Neoplasm / blood
  • Remission Induction
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction*
  • Sensitivity and Specificity

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • RNA, Messenger
  • RNA, Neoplasm
  • Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl
  • Busulfan