Objective: To study the relationship between the complex chromosome translocation in acute promyelocytic leukemia(APL, M3) and clinical therapy and prognosis.
Methods: Chromosome translocation and PML-RAR fusion transcript in three APL patients were studied by using karyotypic analysis, fluorescence in situ hybridization and reverse transcriptase/polymerase chain reaction.
Results: The findings revealed that all these cases had PML/RAR A gene rearrangement. Apart from the chromosomes 15 and 17 involved in the translocation, other multiple chromosomes including 5, 11, 16, 22 were also implicated in complex translocations, which to some extent seemed to be related with clinical prognosis.
Conclusion: This study provides additional information for monitoring clinical therapy and prognostic evaluation.