Molecular Study of FLT3-ITD Mutation in Iraqi Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patients; Its Correlation with Clinicopathological Parameters

Abstract

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a hematological malignancy of myeloid progenitor cells characterized by abnormal proliferation, inhibition of differentiation and expansion of leukemic cells prevented at the early step of hematopoiesis. Detection of molecular markers has become a smart tool to further division of patients in AML subgroups. The Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3-internal tandem duplication (FLT3-ITD) mutations are found in about 20-25% of AML patients and it is associated with increased transcript level of FLT3 and with unfortunate prognosis in adult AML patients. This study aims to find FLT3-ITD mutation in Iraqi adult newly diagnosed AML patients using real time-PCR technique and gel electrophoresis post PCR procedure as well as to evaluate the relationship of FLT3-ITD mutation with clinicopathological parameters including age, gender, total WBC count and FAB subtypes of the disease. FLT3-ITD mutation was found in 1.88% of AML patients. FLT3-ITD mutation was not related to any clinical variables including age, gender, total WBC count and FAB subtypes of the disease with statistical significance. These findings suggest low rate of FLT3-ITD is found in Iraqi adult AML patients and no correlations are established between FLT3-ITD mutation and any clinical variables of AML including age, gender, total WBC count and FAB subtypes of the disease.