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ALL

Genetic heterogeneity of BCR/ABL+ adult B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia: impact on the clinical, biological and immunophenotypical disease characteristics

Leukemia volume 19, pages 713–720 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

Philadelphia-positive (Ph+) B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP–ALL) is a genetically heterogeneous disease with a very poor prognosis. In this study, we analyzed the frequency of supernumerary Ph, trisomy 8, monosomy 7, and del(9p21) by FISH and its relationship with the characteristics of the disease, in 46 BCR/ABL+ adult BCP–ALL patients. The frequency of supernumerary Ph, trisomy 8, monosomy 7 and del(9p21) was 30%, 20%, 15%, and 24%, respectively. Although all patients displayed a BII/common phenotype, supernumerary Ph and trisomy 8 were associated with higher expression of CD19 and CD22 and of CD19, CD34, CD45, and HLA-DR, respectively; in turn, cases with monosomy 7 showed lower CD19, CD22, CD34, and cCD79a and del(9p21)+ blasts were CD13− and CD33−. Overall, similar clinical and hematological features were observed at presentation, independently of the underlying genetic abnormalities. However, relapse-free survival (RFS) was significantly shorter in cases with supernumerary Ph, trisomy 8, and del(9p21), the latter being the most powerful independent prognostic factor for RFS.

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Acknowledgements

MD Tabernero is supported by a grant from the Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología MCYT, (programa Ramón y Cajal), Madrid, Spain. JM Sayagues and AB Espinosa are supported by grants 02/9103 and 02/0010 from the Ministerio de Sanidad y Consumo (Madrid, Spain).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Servicio General de Citometría and Departamento de Medicina, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain

    D Primo, A Rasillo, J M Sayagués & A Orfao

  2. Centro de Investigación del Cáncer, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain

    D Primo, A Rasillo, J M Sayagués, J F San Miguel & A Orfao

  3. Unidad de Investigación, Salamanca, Spain

    M D Tabernero & A B Espinosa

  4. Servicio de Hematología, Hospital Universitario of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain

    J J Perez, M C Lopez-Berges, R García-Sanz, N C Gutierrez, J M Hernandez & J F San Miguel

  5. Servicio de Hematología, Hospital del Río Hortega, Valladolid, Spain

    M Romero

  6. Servicio de Hematología, Hospital Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, Spain

    C S Osuna & M Giralt

  7. Servicio de Hematología, Hospital Virgen Blanca, Leon, Spain

    M Barbon

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Correspondence to A Orfao.

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Primo, D., Tabernero, M., Perez, J. et al. Genetic heterogeneity of BCR/ABL+ adult B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia: impact on the clinical, biological and immunophenotypical disease characteristics. Leukemia 19, 713–720 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.leu.2403714

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