Clinical value of quantitative long-term assessment of bcr-abl chimeric transcript in chronic myelogenous leukemia patients after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

• Published in: Haematologica (Roma) 2000-06, Vol.85 (6), p.653-658
• Main Authors: Martinelli, G, Montefusco, V, Testoni, N, Amabile, M, Saglio, G, Ottaviani, E, Terragna, C, Bonifazi, F, Rosti, G, Bandini, G, Tura, S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Blast Crisis - genetics; Blast Crisis - therapy; Bone Marrow Transplantation; Cytogenetics; Disease-Free Survival; Female; Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl - genetics; Graft vs Leukemia Effect; Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases; Hematology; Humans; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive - genetics; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive - therapy; Leukemias. Malignant lymphomas. Malignant reticulosis. Myelofibrosis; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neoplasm, Residual - diagnosis; Neoplasm, Residual - genetics; Neoplasm, Residual - therapy; Pathology. Cytology. Biochemistry. Spectrometry. Miscellaneous investigative techniques; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Recombinant Fusion Proteins - genetics; RNA, Messenger - blood; Transplantation, Homologous
• ISSN: 0390-6078; 1592-8721

Institute of Hematology and Medical Oncology Seragnoli, University of Bologna, via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy. [e-mail]. BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: For purposes of therapeutic decision making, we used quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for molecular follow-up of 55 patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in complete remission (CR) after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) from HLA compatible donors. DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 402 bone marrow samples from 40 patients transplanted in chronic phase (group 1) and 15 in accelerated/blastic phase (group 2) were analyzed by qualitative and quantitative PCR. RESULTS: Regarding clinical outcome, 34/40 (85%) group 1 vs. 8/15 (54%) group 2 patients are alive. Only 1/40 (2.5%) group 1 patient relapsed, as against 6/15 (40%) in group 2 (p = 0. 0002). At qualitative PCR, 8/40 (19%) group 1 vs. 9/15 (60%) group 2 patients were positive, with a significantly greater total number of positive samples in group 2 (33/129, 27% vs. 16/273, 5%; p 1 year after BMT was significantly lower in group 1 patients (4/40 pts, 10% vs. 9/15 pts, 60%; p = 0.01). At quantitative PCR, 4/8 (50%) group 1 patients were positive only once (