The t(15;17) translocation is characteristic to a fraction of patients presenting with de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML), leading to the expression of a hybrid PML/RARa RNA.
A semi-quantitative RT-PCR method is applied, from a peripheral blood or bone marrow sample, allowing the detection of at least 10 RNA copies of PML/RARa RNA.
This test may also be applied in combination with:
- Karyotype analysis of bone marrow cells, combined with molecular detection of multiple chromosomal rearrangements
- Multicolor karyotype (M-FISH)