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Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) on peripheral blood smears for monitoring Philadelphia chromosome‐positive chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) during interferon treatment: A new strategy for remission assessment
Author(s) -
Mühlmann Josef,
Thaler Josef,
Hilbe Wolfgang,
Bechter Oliver,
Erdel Martin,
Utermann Gerd,
Duba HansChristoph
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
genes, chromosomes and cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.754
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1098-2264
pISSN - 1045-2257
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1098-2264(199802)21:2<90::aid-gcc3>3.0.co;2-2
Subject(s) - fluorescence in situ hybridization , myeloid leukemia , fish <actinopterygii> , peripheral blood , in situ hybridization , medicine , philadelphia chromosome , interferon , in situ , immunology , chromosome , biology , virology , chemistry , genetics , gene , chromosomal translocation , gene expression , organic chemistry , fishery
Interferon‐α (IFN‐α) alone or in combination with cytostatic drugs can induce major and durable cytogenetic responses in about 20 to 25% of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients. Since these patients have a significant survival benefit, more frequent follow‐up investigations have become clinically important but require bone marrow (BM) aspirates. The aim of our study was to evaluate interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (IPF) on peripheral blood (PB) smears as a rapid and reliable method to quantify Ph‐positive myeloid cells. IPF analysis was performed on 49 PB samples from 36 patients in the chronic phase of CML and at different stages of cytogenetic remission. IPF results of 30 PB samples were compared with those from BM aspirates simultaneously obtained from the same patients to evaluate the correlation of Ph‐positive cells. Further, the hypermetaphase FISH (HMF) technique was performed on cultured BM preparations of 31 patients for comparison with IPF results on PB. An excellent correlation was observed between the IPF results obtained on PB and BM samples (r = 0.98, y = x − 0.6, p < 0.0001). The mean difference between HMF from BM, on the one hand, and IPF from PB, on the other hand, was 3.2% (SD = ± 8.4%). Seventy percent of samples were identically classified in one of the four subgroups of cytogenetic response. Thirty percent were classified in neighbouring response groups. We conclude that FISH performed on PB is a rapid and reliable method for assessing the cytogenetic response of CML patients on IFN‐α based therapies, allowing more frequent and less invasive follow‐up investigations although it is not able entirely to replace routine analysis of BM. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 21:90–100, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.