BCR rearrangements in Ph positive chronic myelocytic leukemia

Nine patients with chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML) and 1 patient with erythroleukemia were studied with 3'bcr and 5'bcr probes using Southern blot hybridization technique. Bcr rearrangements were detected in 8 patients with CML in the chronic phase, and bcr rearrangement was deduced to have existed in a CML patient in blastic crisis. However, no abnormal fragment was found in the patient with erythroleukemia. 3'bcr and 5'bcr probes combined with proper restriction enzymes were believed to be of great value in determining bcr rearrangements in Ph positive CML.