Interest of RT-PCR in the Diagnosis and Follow-Up of Patients  with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (A Study in Western Algeria)

Ouafia Liamani; Kortiche Hayet; Siali Nadjet; Mellah Rabha

doi:10.31557/apjcc.2025.10.4.1163-1167

Authors

Ouafia Liamani Environmental Information Synthesis Laboratory, Djillali Liabes University, Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria.
Kortiche Hayet Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences, Djillali Liabès University, Sidi Bel Abbès, Algeria.
Siali Nadjet Hematology Departments, University Hospital Center (CHU) of Sidi Bel Abbès, Algeria.
Mellah Rabha Environmental Information Synthesis Laboratory, Djillali Liabes University, Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31557/apjcc.2025.10.4.1163-1167

Keywords:

CML, BCR-ABL transcript, RT-PCR, MMR, Major Molecular Response.

Abstract

Background: This prospective study evaluated the implementation of RT-PCR for the molecular monitoring of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients at Sidi Bel Abbès University Hospital.

Methods: We analyzed 31 consecutive CML patients (mean age 50 years, range 31–72). All patients carried the b3a2 fusion transcript. The Sokal risk distribution was as follows: high (6.45%), intermediate (51.61%), and low (41.93%). Molecular response was assessed by the *BCR-ABL1/ABL1* ratio (IS%) at diagnosis and during treatment follow-up.

Results: The median BCR-ABL1/ABL1 ratio declined to 3.45% (IQR 0.66–19) at 3 months (n=12), 0.37% (IQR 0.00028–23) at 6 months (n=29), and 0.01% (IQR 0.00021–12) at 18 months (n=14). MMR rates were significantly higher in patients achieving a ratio of ≤10% at 3 months (83.3% vs. 19.0%, p<0.001) and ≤1% at 6 months (69.0% vs. 28.0%, p<0.001). Only one patient (3.2%, 95% CI 0–9.3) without an early molecular response achieved MMR by 18 months.

Conclusions: Our findings confirm the clinical utility of RT-PCR for CML monitoring and emphasize the prognostic importance of early molecular response, particularly at the 3- and 6-month timepoints, in Algerian patients.