BCR/ABL GENE REARRANGEMENTS IN CHRONIC MYELOID LEUKEMIA

The characteristic disease marker for chronoic myeloid leukemia, the Philadelphia chromosome, results from a reciprocal translocation between chromosomes 9 and 22. Analysis of the bcr/abl gene fusion by Southern Blot hybridization proved to provide valuable clinical information. Seventy-eight CML patients were investigated. DNA samples were digested by the Bgl II and Xba I restriction enzymes and hybridized to a bcr region specific probe. Rearrangements were found in 66 patients, 12 samples yielded negative results. The assay was found to be sensitive enough to detect as few as %1 leukemic cells in peripheral blood. Depending on the stage of the disease and the time of treatment, the sensitivity of the assay ranged between %93-%100.