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Myeloproliferative disorders with coexisting BCR-ABL translocation and JAK2V617F mutation

Leukemia volume 21, page 2051 (2007)Cite this article

I was excited to read the paper by Inami et al.1 in a recent issue of Leukemia regarding the evolution of a rare case of Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myelogenous leukemia (Ph+ CML) into polycythemia vera with 1849G>T mutation of the Janus kinase 2 (JAK2V617F) mutation.

Contrary to the group's suggestion, this was not the first case of coexisting BCR-ABL translocation and JAK2V617F mutation reported in the literature. In 2005, Curtin et al.2 described a patient with essential thrombocythemia who developed Ph+ CML 12 years later. Despite achieving a major cytogenetic response, treatment with imatinib did not control the thrombocytosis. Subsequently, JAK2V617F mutation was found in the bone marrow sample of this patient.3 More recently (after the publication of Inami), Hussein et al.4 presented a case of myelofibrosis with JAK2V617F mutation emerging after successful treatment of Ph+ CML. Several previous reports of transformation of Ph− myeloproliferative disorders into Ph+ CML and vice versa may also potentially harbor JAK2V617F mutation if ever tested.5, 6 While it is unclear at the moment if these occurrences are true associations or just coincidental, the recent finding that JAK2 may be an important therapeutic target for Ph+ CML adds further excitement to the encouraging rate of progress in this field.7

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References

  1. Inami M, Inokuchi K, Okabe M, Kosaka F, Mitamura Y, Yamaguchi H et al. Polycythemia associated with the JAK2V617F mutation emerged during treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia. Leukemia 2007; 21: 1103–1104.

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  2. Curtin NJ, Campbell PJ, Green AR . The Philadelphia translocation and pre-existing myeloproliferative disorders. Br J Haematol 2005; 128: 734–736.

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  7. Samanta AK, Lin H, Sun T, Kantarjian H, Arlinghaus RB . Janus kinase 2: a critical target in chronic myelogenous leukemia. Cancer Res 2006; 66: 6468–6472.

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  1. Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Gundersen Lutheran Health System, La Crosse, WI, USA

    R S Go

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Go, R. Myeloproliferative disorders with coexisting BCR-ABL translocation and JAK2V617F mutation. Leukemia 21, 2051 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.leu.2404825

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