Zhang R X, Yao E G
Research Laboratory of Hematology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Hebei Medical College, Shijiazhuang.
Chin Med J (Engl). 1990 Oct;103(10):826-30.
Using flow cytometry (FCM), we measured the DNA content of bone marrow from 25 patients with acute leukemia (AL) in complete remission (CR) and followed them up for 0.5 to 1 year. Five of 13 patients in early relapse had normal DNA index (DI), while the remaining 8 showed DNA aneuploidy 1.5 to 5 months (mean 2.6 months) before relapse. The relapse rate was higher in CR patients with DNA aneuploidy (88.9%) than in those with normal DI (31.3%, P less than 0.05). Intensive chemotherapy was helpful to prolong CR duration in CR patients with DNA aneuploidy. DNA measurement by FCM was considered a reliable method for detecting minimal residual disease (MRD), and the appearance of DNA aneuploidy might predict a relapse of CR.
