Persistence of E2A/PBX1 transcripts in t(1;19) childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: correlation with chemotherapy intensity and clinical outcome.

The occurrence of t(1;19) translocation was investigated by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for the E2A/PBX1 hybrid message in a panel of 37 consecutive childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemias (ALLs). Three patients with B-precursor ALL were found to be positive at diagnosis and were re-tested during follow-up to assess the presence of minimal residual disease (MRD). Two of them became PCR-negative during treatment, whereas one remains positive 3 years after diagnosis. Since all three patients are presently in clinical and hematological complete remission, PCR detection of persistent E2A/ PBX1 transcript does not seem to affect significantly the DFS at 3 years. However, the predictivity for an eventual late relapse still remains to be assessed.