Late-appearing Philadelphia chromosome in a patient with acute nonlymphocytic leukaemia derived from myelodysplastic syndrome: detection of P210- and P190-type bcr/abl fusion gene transcripts at the leukaemic stage.

We describe a patient with acute nonlymphocytic leukaemia (ANLL) derived from myelodysplastic syndrome in whom the Philadelphia chromosome (Ph1) first emerged at the late stage of ANLL transformation. Cytogenetically, the Ph1 chromosome was not detected until the late stage of ANLL transformation, 14 months after the transformation following a 3-month history of refractory anaemia with excess of blasts. The cells with and without the Ph1 chromosome had a common abnormal chromosome, t(3;3) (q21;q26). The reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis showed no bcr/abl message at diagnosis. However, the mRNA encoding P210bcr/abl was detected in the early stage of ANLL transformation. Furthermore, the mRNAs encoding both P210bcr/abl and P190bcr/abl were detected in the late stage of ANLL transformation when the Ph1 chromosome was detected by cytogenetic analysis. These evidences support a multistep pathogenesis of leukaemias, and the products of bcr/abl fusion gene may influence the course of disease.