[Usefulness of molecular screening in childhood lymphoblastic leukemias].

PURPOSE

To demonstrate that a molecular screening by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of TEL/AML1, E2A/PBX1 and BCR/ABL genes in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is a rapid method that allows one to exceed the percentage of adult patients with the BCR/ABL rearrangement.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

12 Spanish children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia were studied, 11 of them newly diagnosed and 1 relapsed. The patients were between 18 months and 10 years old. Bone marrow aspiration was collected between april and december 1996, RNA was isolated and cDNA was subjected to PCR amplification for TEL/AML1, E2A/PBX1 and BCR/ABL genes. Normal ABL and E2A genes were studied as amplification controls.

RESULTS

One of these hybrid genes was found in 33.3% of patients studied. TEL/AML1 in two cases (16.6%), E2A/PBX1 in one case (8.3%) and BCR/ABL in another one (8.3%).

CONCLUSIONS

On the basis of these data it would be useful to achieve a molecular screening of TEL/AML1, E2A/PBX1 and BCR/ABL genes in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukaemia for allowing a molecular classification in a great percentage of patients that exceed the BCR/ABL positivity in adults.