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TEL/AML1 real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR can complement minimal residual disease assessment in childhood ALL

Leukemia volume 19, pages 1296–1297 (2005)Cite this article

TO THE EDITOR

Minimal residual disease (MRD) quantified by immunoglobulin and/or T-cell receptor (Ig/TCR) genes rearrangements real-time quantitative PCR (RQ-PCR) is used for the risk stratification in some of the modern treatment protocols for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. This accurate and almost generally applicable approach is also laborious and costly. Moreover, in a minority of the patients, a suitable marker (Ig/TCR rearrangement adequately sensitive and specific) cannot be identified, thus precluding proper risk stratification. TEL/AML1 fusion gene – found in approximately 25% of childhood B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukaemias (ALL) – is a tempting target for the MRD monitoring using reverse transcriptase RQ-PCR (RQ-RT-PCR). Its use overcomes the need for the individual design and optimisation of RQ-PCR systems, thus lowering both the costs and laboriousness. Our recent study already clearly demonstrated that slower clearance of TEL/AML1 fusion transcript measured by RQ-RT-PCR predicted relapse.1 If proven to correlate with MRD dynamics assessed by Ig/TCR RQ-PCR, this mRNA-based approach could complement the latter technique in MRD detection in childhood ALL.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants IGA-MZ6929, GAUKCR62/2004 and MSM0021620813 for the Czech Paediatric Haematology Working Group (CPH).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CLIP – Childhood Leukaemia Investigation Prague, 2nd Medical School, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic

    E Fronkova, J Madzo, J Zuna, L Reznickova, K Muzikova, O Hrusak & J Trka

  2. Department of Paediatric Haematology/Oncology, 2nd Medical School, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic

    E Fronkova, J Madzo, J Zuna, L Reznickova, K Muzikova, J Stary & J Trka

  3. Department of Immunology, 2nd Medical School, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic

    O Hrusak

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Correspondence to J Trka.

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Fronkova, E., Madzo, J., Zuna, J. et al. TEL/AML1 real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR can complement minimal residual disease assessment in childhood ALL. Leukemia 19, 1296–1297 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.leu.2403759

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