Detection of BCR/ABL fusion gene in CML: a preliminary report.

The BCR/ABL fusion gene in 31 patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) was detected by RT/PCR. In 18 cases of Ph' positive patients, 13 had BCR 3/ABL II rearrangement, 1 had BCR 2/ABL II rearrangement and 4 had both rearrangements. One case with complex translocation: 46,XY,t(9;9;22), had BCR 3/ABL II rearrangement. In 8 cases of Ph' negative patients, 4 had BCR 3/ABL II rearrangement, 3 had both rearrangements while 1 had no BCR/ABL rearrangement. Interestingly, in 4 patients who had no cytogenetic result, we could observe BCR 3/ABL II rearrangement in 3 cases and both rearrangements in 1 case. The results suggest that this procedure is sensitive and independent of the presence or absence of an identifiable Ph' chromosome.