OBJECTIVEThis study was aimed to detect the FLT3 gene mutation in patients with de-novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and to investigate its prognostic value and clinical significance.

METHODSPolymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect FLT3 gene mutation, in bone marrow samples of 54 patients with de novo AML.

RESULTSThe incidence of FLT3-ITD mutation in 54 de-novo AML patients was 22.22%, 10 out of 12(83.3%) AML patients were identified with normal karyotype, while 16.7% patients were identified as with abnormal karyotype. The peripheral blood white cell count and bone marrow blast cells were significantly higher in the patients with FLT3-ITD mutation than those in patients without FLT3-ITD mutation (P<0.05), but there was no statistically significant difference in sex, age, CR rate of the first course induction chemotherapy, survival rate and so on between the two groups. Two cases had FLT3-TKD gene mutation; as compared with FLT3-TKD negative AML patients there was no statistical difference in sex, age, white blood cell count, the percentage of marrow blasts and CR rate of the first course of treatment at the initial diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONFLT3-ITD mutation positive likely occurs in AML patients with normal karyotype, the FLT3-ITD mutation is associated with higher peripheral white cell count and higher percentage of bone marrow blast cells.