The Philadelphia translocation in CML and ALL: recent investigations, new detection methods.

As a consequence of the Ph translocation, a bcr-abl fusion gene is formed that encodes chimeric bcr-abl proteins. The latter are probably causally involved in leukemogenesis, although the mechanism is not yet known. Meanwhile, the heterogeneous aspects of the Ph translocation have been explored in an effort to disclose their eventual clinical significance. Innovative and useful methods have been devised for the detection of the Ph translocation products e.g. the PCR technique or the production of specific antibodies that undoubtedly will prove to be of great help to patients and clinicians in future.