[Detection of residual malignant cells in patients with hematopoietic malignancy]

Current progressive chemotherapy and transplantation induce not only remission but complete cure. By this reason, the detecting system for MRD must be established in complete remission phase. In this study, we showed the detecting for MRD by molecular biology techniques in the patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, CML, B-ALL and AML. 1) Malignant cells could be detected in peripheral blood or bone marrow cells by Southern blot analysis in 15 of 30 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. 2) In CML patients, BCR/ABL fusion gene was positive by RT-PCR for 6 months after BMT, 4 patients became undetectable for 7 months after BMT. 3) Rearrangement of Ig H has been disappeared in 12 months after achieved complete remission the patients with B-ALL. In conclusion, the detection for MRD remain an important goal for therapy including chemotherapy and bone marrow transplantation in hematopoetic malignancy.