Korean Journal of Clinical Pathology  2001;21(5):327-330

Two Cases of Philadelphia Chromosome-negative Essential Thrombocythemia Manifested bcr-abl Gene Rearrangement.

Tong Kil JUNG 1 ; Nan Young LEE ; Jang Soo SUH

Affiliations

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Keywords

Ph chromosome-negative essential thrombocythemia; bcr-abl rearrangement; b3a2 transcripts

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

Korean

Abstract

Discrepant results have been reported in terms of detecting bcr-abl transcripts in patients with essential thrombocythemia that are Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome-negative. We present two cases of Ph chromosome-negative essential thrombocythemia in whom bcr-abl gene rearrangement was detected. In the diagnosis of both cases, they lacked the splenomegaly, anemia and basophilia, and had high platelet counts (948X10(3)/L and 1,329X10(3)/microL, respectively) and normal leukocyte alkaline phosphatase (LAP) scores on admission without any evidence of inflammation, infection, or therapy. They lacked the Philadelphia chromosome characteristic of classical chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and had b3a2 transcripts.