Frequency of BCR-ABL Transcript Types in Syrian CML Patients

Area of Science:

• Hematology
• Oncology
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) patients in Syria receive tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) for treatment.
• BCR-ABL mRNA transcript type identification is not standard practice, despite recommendations.
• This study addresses the need to understand transcript frequencies and their clinical significance in Syrian CML patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the frequency of different BCR-ABL transcripts in Syrian CML patients.
• To investigate the association between BCR-ABL transcript types and treatment outcomes.
• To highlight the importance of transcript identification for optimizing CML monitoring and treatment.

Main Methods:

• Enrolled CML patients positive for BCR-ABL transcripts via quantitative RT-PCR.
• Utilized a validated, home-made PCR method to investigate BCR-ABL transcript types.
• Confirmed transcript types using a commercial research kit.

Main Results:

• Identified 24 BCR-ABL transcripts in 21 CML patients.
• The most prevalent transcript was b2a2 (57.1%), followed by b3a2 (14.3%), b3a3 (9.5%), and e1a3 (4.8%).
• Dual transcripts were found in 14.3% of samples. The b3a2 transcript was linked to a warning molecular response to imatinib, while others were not (P=0.047).

Conclusions:

• Identifying BCR-ABL transcript type at diagnosis is advisable for Syrian CML patients.
• Linking transcript type with clinical findings aids in predicting treatment resistance.
• Tailoring monitoring methods based on transcript type can improve patient management.