ANALYSIS OF PERIPHERAL-BLOOD PROGENITOR CELLS DEMONSTRATES LIMITATIONS OF MINIMAL RESIDUAL DISEASE DIAGNOSIS IN A CASE OF ACUTE PROMYELOCYTIC LEUKEMIA

Detection of minimal residual disease (MRD) by analysis of the PML-RAR alpha fusion transcript using the RT-PCR method is routinely carried out on peripheral blood and bone marrow of patients with APL (AML, FAB :M3). Therapy aims to achieve repeated negative results in these patie nts thus confirming clinical complete remission. We report a case of A PL in second complete remission in which no leukemic cells had been de tected in BM and PB for 20 months, and in which PBPC-pheresis was carr ied out for future transplantation. In two of five phereses PML-RAR al pha fusion transcripts were detected. This shows that the residual leu kemic population may only reach detection level after enrichment by PB PC-pheresis.