Place de la biologie moléculaire pour le diagnostic et le suivi des leucémies aiguës

Molecular biology methods have become essential in the management of acute leukemia (AL). Their high sensitivity and opportunities for standardization made them tools of choice in diagnostic and prognostic evaluation and they currently have their place in most protocols. 30-40% of acute leukemia have a balanced translocation typically inducing fusion of two genes with production of a chimeric RNA, which constitute an objective diagnostic argument and define distinct AL entities. In recent years, many other alterations have been identified and they have a special place in absence of recurrent cytogenetic abnormality. Finally, the high sensitivity of these methods has allowed them to become a gold standard to assess response to treatment and/or to detect subclinical relapses, allowing treatment modification or intensification as early as possible.