DETECTION OF MINIMAL RESIDUAL DISEASE IN CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID OF A PATIENT WITH ACUTE MYELOGENOUS LEUKEMIA WITH T(16-21)(P11-Q22) TRANSLOCATION BY REVERSE TRANSCRIPTASE-POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION

We describe a patient with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) with t(16; 21)(p11;q22) translocation, whose minimal residual disease (MRD) both in cerebrospinal fluid (CBF) and bone marrow (BM) was monitored by rev erse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). A TLS/ERG-FUS f usion transcript, which is known to be expressed by t(16;21)(p11;q22) translocation, was detectable by RT-PCR both in BM and CSF cells in th e first complete remission, suggesting the existence of MRD. The disea se relapsed 6 months after its onset and allogeneic peripheral blood s tem cell transplantation (PBSCT) was undergone. A TLS/ERG-FUS fusion t ranscript became rapidly below the detection level after PBSCT. These findings suggest the usefulness of RT-PCR for the detection of MRD in CSF, which contains a limited number of cells, as well as BM. (C) 1997 Tohoku University Medical Press.