Prognostic significance of MRD [minimal residual disease] quantification by PCR in childhood acute leukaemia

Twenty five cases with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia were included in this study. They received induction, intensification and maintenance chemotherapy [Modified Berlin-Frankfurt-Munster BMP 76/79 Protocol], plus prophylactic cranial irradiation to a total dose of 1800 cGy/ 2 weeks/ 10 fractions. MRD quantification was done using real-time PCR. It was found that patients with negative MRD had much better overall and relapse-free survivals than those with positive one, 100% versus 20% and 100% versus 25% at the end of 24 months follow-up. Again, it was found that PCR-MRD levels > 0.01 or more can predict the relapse and the prognosis of those cases was much worse than those with lower levels