Correlation between BCR-ABL expression and tumor burden is restricted to the transition from minor to major cytogenetic response in interferon treated CML patients.

The interferon treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemia has been monitored by investigating the tumour burden as revealed by fluorescence in situ hybridization and the expression of BCR-ABL chimera determined by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. These parameters were obtained from the peripheral blood of 51 untreated and 104 follow-up patient samples. Poor correlation (r=0.

Coexistence of chronic myeloid leukemia and hairy cell leukemia of common clonal origin.

The history of a forty year old patient is presented who was admitted with a clinical picture of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Laboratory findings, bone marrow morphology and molecular investigations supported this diagnosis, including b3/a2 as well as b2/a2 chimeric mRNA expression in support of a Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic myeloproliferation. In a fraction of the bone marrow content, however, an infiltrate different from that of CML could be seen.