BACKGROUND: Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (Q-Rt-PCR) is a new tool in the detection and quantification of the @entity25128 /abl fusion transcripts in @entity1860 ( @entity1860 ). This study investigates its specificity, sensitivity and potential clinical usefulness. @entity1 AND METHODS: Parallel analysis of Q-Rt-PCR and the conventional reverse transcription-mediated PCR (RT-PCR) were performed on 567 samples from 481 @entity1 . Treatment response was monitored by Q-Rt-PCR at 6 and 12 months of 61 @entity1 on @entity2213 and 103 @entity1 on interferon. RESULTS: The concordance rate between Q-Rt-PCR and RT-PCR was 96.3% (546/567), with 341 positives and 205 negatives. The positive equivalents ranged from 2 x 10(-6) to 1.2 microg of K562 cell RNA. Karyotyping in 372 samples revealed excellent correlation with Q-Rt-PCR measurements (P < 0.001). Setting residual @entity25128 /abl < 0.01 as an early goal of molecular response, we observed that @entity2213 induced a better response than interferon: 49% (20 of 41 @entity1 ) versus 35% (15 of 62 @entity1 ) at 6 months (P = 0.025) and 52% (32 of 61 @entity1 ) versus 34% (35 of 103 @entity1 ) at 12 months (P = 0.01), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Q-Rt-PCR provides reliable measurements of @entity25128 /abl fusion transcripts. It is potentially useful in assessing molecular residual disease after therapy.

Quantitative measurement of XXXX /abl transcripts using real-time polymerase chain reaction.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients', 'PATIENTS'] @entity25128 :: ('613', 'Gene') :: ['BCR'] @entity1860 :: ('MESH:D015464', 'Disease') :: ['CML', 'chronic myelogenous leukemia'] @entity2213 :: ('MESH:C097613', 'Chemical') :: ['STI-571']
@entity25128 :: (613,Gene) :: ['BCR']
