Persistence of derivative chromosome 22 after achieving a major molecular response in chronic myeloid leukemia with a cryptic BCR-ABL1 fusion gene

Int J Hematol. 2009 Dec;90(5):623-626. doi: 10.1007/s12185-009-0448-5. Epub 2009 Dec 10.

Abstract

We herein report the findings of a 47-year-old Japanese female with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) with a cryptic BCR-ABL1 transcript on chromosome 9 and a derivative chromosome 22 unrelated to BCR-ABL1. Although she achieved and continued to demonstrate a major molecular response to imatinib treatment following interferon-alpha, there was persistence of a derivative chromosome 22. A detailed chromosome/molecular studies, including serial karyotyping analysis, finally resulted in the karyotyping at the disease onset to be 47,XX,+del(22)(q11.2), with two genetic evens, namely a cryptic BCR-ABL1 transcript on chromosome 9 and derivative chromosome 22 unrelated to BCR-ABL1. This CML case with these two rare genetic events thus raises diagnostic issues such as the difficulty in making a concise evaluation of the chromosomal/molecular events and an accurate disease prognosis, as well as the difficulty in determining the disease remission status after treatment.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Chromosome Aberrations*
  • Chromosomes, Human, Pair 22 / genetics*
  • Chromosomes, Human, Pair 9
  • Female
  • Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / drug therapy
  • Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / genetics*
  • Middle Aged
  • Remission Induction

Substances

  • Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl