Minimal residual disease following allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in chronic myeloid leukemia

ABSTRACT

Fifteen patients with chronic myeloid leukemia [CML] were treated by allogeneic bone marrow transplantation [BMT] from an identical sibling in the period between February 1989 and October 1994 with a follow up period of 3-64 months. One patient was grafted in accelerated phase and died 6 months later. The other 14 patients are alive and well. All patients were Philadelphia chromosome positive pre- transplant by conventional karyotyping. Samples were obtained before BMT [whenever available] and post BMT at different intervals. A total of 41 samples were analyzed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction [RT/PCR]. It was concluded that the results of the post BMT PCR assays for CML patients are in general agreement with the literature. This work emphasize the importance of giving DMCT in cases with a first round PCR assay or with 2nd round if there is any other evidence of possible impending relapse. The apparently high incidence of double splice b3a2/b2a2 in the cases needs further studies