Telomere length shortening in chronic myelogenous leukemia is associated with reduced time to accelerated phase

Telomere shortening is associated with disease evolution in chronic myeloge nous leukemia (CML). We have examined the relationship between diagnostic t elomere length and outcome in 59 patients with CML who entered into the MRC CMLIII Trial by Southern blot hybridization using the (TTAGGG)(4) probe. A ge-adjusted telomere repeat array (TRA) reduction was found to significantl y correlate with time from diagnosis to acceleration, such that patients wi th a larger TRA reduction entered the accelerated phase more rapidly (r = - 0.50; P = .008). Cox-regression analysis for this group was suggestive of a relationship between a greater TRA-reduction and a shorter time to acceler ation (P = .054). Age-adjusted TRA reduction did not significantly affect e ither the time to blast crisis or overall survival. Our results show that t elomere shortening observed at the time of diagnosis in CML significantly i nfluences the time to progress to the accelerated phase. The measurement of diagnostic TRA may prove to be clinically important in the selection of pa tients at high risk of disease transformation in CML. (Blood. 2000;96:358-3 61) (C) 2000 by The American Society of Hematology.