J Korean Med Sci.  2010 Jun;25(6):841-845. 10.3346/jkms.2010.25.6.841.

High Transcript Level of FLT3 Associated with High Risk of Relapse in Pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia

• Kang HJ
• Lee JW
• Kho SH
• Kim MJ
• Seo YJ
• Kim H
• Shin HY
• Ahn HS

• KMID: 2150861
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2010.25.6.841

Abstract

Identification of prognostic factors and risk-based post-remission therapy was proposed to improve the outcomes of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and a mutation of FLT3 has been reported to be a risk factor, especially for pediatric patients. Recently, FLT3 expression level was implicated to have prognostic significance in adults, but little is known for childhood AML. To define the prognostic significance, transcript level of FLT3 was analyzed in 52 pediatric AML patients. The median copy number of FLT3 was 4.6x10(3) (40-5.9x10(7) copies)/1.0x10(6) GAPDH copy, and the relapse free survival of patients with high transcript level of FLT3 (>10(6) copy number) (0%) was significantly lower than that of the others (53.2%). High transcript level of FLT3 was associated with a markedly high risk of relapse. The development of new therapeutic scheme such as a frontline allogeneic stem cell transplantation or administration of FLT3 inhibitor is needed to improve outcomes.

Keyword

FLT3; Transcript Level; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute; Pediatric Age

Figure

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  Fig. 1 The relapse free survival (RFS) of patients with high transcript level of FLT3 (0%) was lower than the RFS of the other patients (53.2±8.0%) (P<0.001).

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