The achievement of molecular complete remission during treatment with imatinib mesylate correlates with relapse-free survival in bcr/abl-positive acute lymphoid leukemia patients Using quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain

haematologica 2004; 89(10):October 2004 1269 In conclusion, this report presents the first use of RQPCR to accurately quantify the level of the DEK-CAN transcript in t(6;9)AML patients in sequential BM and PB samples from diagnosis to relapse. The protocol produces linear quantification of the DEK-CAN transcript over a wide range of levels. The level of the DEK-CAN transcript was more than 1×10 DEK-CAN/ABL in all patients after induction chemotherapy. After two further courses of chemotherapy, the levels fell to less than 1×10, which indicates that chemotherapy can reduce the leukemic load, but it remains persistently detectable, albeit at a low level. All three patients had a relatively high level of MRD prior to relapse, even though the samples were morphologically and cytogenetically normal. These data support the observations made by Soekerman et al. and Lillington et al., that t(6;9) patients respond poorly to chemotherapy alone with a median survival of less than one year. Khalid Tobal, Lindsay Frost, John A. Liu Yin Molecular Oncology Group, University Department of Hematology, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester, UK Correspondence: Dr. Khalid Tobal, Molecular Oncology Group, University Department of Haematology, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester, UK. Phone: international +44.1612764137. Fax: international +44.1612768089. E-mail: khalid.tobal@cmmc.nhs.uk