Molecular Genetic Features of Acute Leukemia

Objectives: To perform quantitative PCR using known leukemia specific markers in diagnostic bone marrow specimens of patients with newly diagnosed APL and ALL and to correlative pre-treatment copy number with other biologic and molecular features, clinical response, and treatment outcome. To evaluate the expression of novel genes or microRNAs implicated in disease pathogenesis and treatment response in pretreatment blood and bone marrow specimens of patients with APL and ALL and to correlate expression level with other biological features and treatment outcome. To evaluate the clinical significance of sequential quantitative MRD measurements using real-time quantitative PCR and/or flow cytometry during and following treatment of ALL and APL and correlate these findings with efficacy of novel treatment approaches and with other biological and clinical prognostic features. To compare measurement of MRD in blood with bone marrow specimens in sequential remission specimens of patients receiving treatment on ALL and APL treatment trials.