FLT3 Gene Mutation in Childhood Acute Leukemia: A Preliminary Study

Abstract

Introduction. FLT3 is a tyrosine kinase receptor involved in the proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells. There are two types of common FLT3 gene mutation, internal tandem duplication and the D835 mutation, which are known to be associated with a poor clinical outcome in acute leukemia patients. Methods. This study evaluates the incidence of FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3-internal tandem duplication (FLT3-ITD) in 38 pediatric patients diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia. DNA extraction was done from archive bone marrow samples to determine FLT3-ITD mutations using polymerase chain reaction. Results. In this pediatric series, the age ranges were 2–14 years. However, no FLT3-ITD mutations were detected in any of the samples. Conclusion. This preliminary study suggested that the incidence of FLT3 gene mutation most probably was very low in pediatrics patients diagnosed with acute leukemia. A further study with larger number of patient samples is necessary to confirm the findings and to further appreciate the prognostic value of FLT3-ITD mutation among pediatrics patients.