[Effect of co-expressing M-bcr/abl and m-bcr/abl fusion gene transcripts on the clinical features of patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia at diagnosis].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of co-expressing M-bcr/abl and m-bcr/abl fusion gene transcripts on the clinical features of the patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) at diagnosis. METHODS: m-bcr/abl fusion gene transcripts were detected by nested PCR. RESULTS: The percentage of the CML patients who co-expressed M-bcr/abl and m-bcr/abl was 51.4% at diagnosis. Comparison of the patients who co-expressed and those who expressed M-bcr/abl alone showed there was no difference in their hemoglobin concentrations, WBC counts, neutrophilic alkaline phosphatase (NAP) stains, Ph chromosomes and hepatosplenomegaly; however, significant difference in platelet count was seen. In the patients with b3a2 who co-expressed m-bcr/abl, an increased platelet count was noted, compared with that of patients with M-bcr/abl alone. But in patients with b2a2, the two groups showed no difference in all clinical features. Two patients had priapism, their m-bcr/abl being negative. CONCLUSIONS: CML patients who co-expressed b3a2 and m-bcr/abl showed a tendency to have an increased platelet count at diagnosis. Co-expressing m-bcr/abl has no the effect on the clinical features of CML patients with b2a2.