[Use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in oncohematology. Detection of minimal residual disease].

The early detection of clonogenic cells able to survive cytotoxic therapy and to initiate a neoplastic process, defined as Minimal Residual Disease (MRD), represents a major objective for the development of new and more sensitive diagnostic methods. The cloning of different chromosomal translocations along with the application of the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technique has allowed the characterization of various hematological disorders at the molecular level. This approach has led to the development of PCR based assays able to detect a minimum number of malignant cells with very high specificity. In the present paper we discuss the use of PCR and its value as a predictor for relapse in lymphomas, chronic myelogenous leukemia and acute promyelocytic leukemia, characterized by the t(14;18) t(9;22) and t(15;17) translocations, respectively.