Myeloproliferative neoplasms include a heterogeneous group of stem cell disorders with overproduction of myeloid cells. They have very different clinical courses and prognosis and are amenable to specific targeted therapy. A prompt and accurate diagnosis is therefore very important. Genetic characterisation plays an important role in diagnosis and classification of these disorders. BCR-ABL1fusion gene and JAK2V617F mutation are the particular major molecular markers to be detected because of availability of targeted therapy. In this study, a new molecular testing system was developed for the differential diagnosis of myeloproliferative neoplasms. A multiplex reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was developed for fast detection of JAK2 V617F mutation and BCR-ABL1fusion simultaneously. It was demonstrated to be fast and highly sensitive and specific for the mutations as validated by analysis of clinical samples. The sensitivity limit was well suited for clinical diagnosis. There was great potential saving in consumables and manpower with a much shortened turn-around-time in most cases when compared to conventional diagnostic protocol. / published_or_final_version / Pathology / Master / Master of Medical Sciences

Patients with JAK2-positive myeloproliferative neoplasms (JAK2MPN) form a rare patient population, at increased risk of arterial and venous thrombosis. Limited research is available to guide the thromboprophylaxis of these patients. Nonetheless, guidelines and expert opinions recommend the use of low-dose aspirin to decrease the risk of thrombotic complications. In order to build a research program on the thromboprophylaxis of JAK2MPN patients and assess the feasibility of conducting a randomized controlled trial comparing low-dose apixaban to low-dose aspirin for thromboprophylaxis in this patient population, we completed a systematic review and meta-analysis to provide reliable rates of thrombosis and bleeding on aspirin, we performed a survey of practice and a modified Delphi process to assess for heterogeneity in clinical practice and determine future research needs, and we developed a multi-centre, pilot randomized controlled trial on the feasibility of enrolling and retaining this patient population.

published_or_final_version / Medical Sciences / Master / Master of Medical Sciences

Thesis (M. Med. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 61-65)

The classical myeloproliferative disorders (MPD), comprising essential thrombocythaemia (ET), polycythaemia vera (PV) and idiopathic myelofibrosis (IMF), are clonal premalignant haematopoietic neoplasms associated with activating mutations in signalling pathway molecules and a variable tendency to develop acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). This thesis examined genotype-phenotype associations of JAK2 and MPL mutations, the presence of clonal diversity in the MPD and the genetic events associated with progressive disease. Mutations in MPL were identified in 4% of ET and 7% of IMF but not in PV. Three different acquired MPL mutations were identified, one of which had been reported as an inherited allele. Although MPL mutations did not delineate a distinct clinical or histopathological subtype of ET, molecular testing provides an important new tool in the diagnostic armamentarium. Clones homozygous for the JAK2 V617F mutation were identified in female but not male patients with ET, suggesting that gender differences may be important in the determination of disease phenotype. In patients with two acquired genetic alterations, a signalling pathway mutation and a cytogenetic abnormality were usually present within the same clone. By contrast, coexistence of two signalling pathway mutations indicated the presence of biclonal disease that in two patients had arisen independently and not from a shared founder clone. RAS mutations were identified as potential cooperating events in patients with JAK2 or MPL mutant IMF. In patients developing AML following a JAK2 V617F-positive MPD, those with V617F-positive leukaemia had progressed via an accelerated phase of disease and harboured acquired alterations of RUNX1 or EVI1. V617F-negative leukaemias tended to follow directly from ET or PV, and loss of the JAK2 mutation by reversion to wild-type due to mitotic recombination, gene deletion or gene conversion was excluded. The thesis concludes with a discussion of how clonal heterogeneity can be integrated into current models of MPD disease pathogenesis.

An underlying myeloproliferative disorder (MPD), especially polycythemia vera (PV) or essential thrombocythemia (ET), is a risk factor for thrombosis. Considering large selected studies, prevalence rates for major thrombosis, at time of diagnosis, range from ∼34 to 39% for PV and 10 to 29% for ET; the corresponding figures for thrombosis at follow-up are ∼8 to 19% for PV and 8 to 31% for ET. In all instances, arterial events were more frequent than venous events. In both PV and ET, advanced age and history of thrombosis are independent predictors of recurrent thrombosis. In addition, leukocytosis, but not thrombocytosis, has been identified as a potential risk factor for thrombosis in both diseases. The particular observation is consistent with the laboratory demonstration, in these disorders, of increased number of activated granulocytes and granulocyte-platelet aggregates, upregulation of platelet P-selectin and tissue factor expression by granulocytes, and the antithrombotic value of hydroxyurea therapy. Most recently, a JAK2 gain-of-function mutation (JAK2V617F) was described in virtually all patients with PV and ∼50% of those with ET. Whether the presence of this specific mutation or its allele burden modifies the risk of thrombosis in patients with MPDs currently is under investigation.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Göteborg : Univ. , 2009. / Härtill 2 uppsatser.

Thesis (M.A.)--Boston University

A 59-year-old man with lung cancer, peripheral blood leukocytosis and thrombocytosis without peripheral lymphadenopathy and hepatosplenomegaly was found to have pancreatic extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH) in association with an 'atypical' myeloproliferative disorder. Studies for the Philadelphia chromosome and bcr-abl fusion product were negative. This is the first documented case in the literature of isolated EMH in the pancreas.

Das Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit war die Quantifizierung JAK2 p.V617F mutierter Allele zur Verlaufskontrolle von Patienten mit JAK2 p.V617F positiven MPN nach allogener Stammzelltransplantation (SCT). Dabei sollte insbesondere untersucht werden, ob sich frühzeitig nach SCT ein höheres Rezidivrisiko der MPN vorhersagen lässt und zu welchen Zeitpunkten molekulare Untersuchungen nach SCT sinnvoll sind. Wir analysierten retrospektiv den Krankheitsverlauf von 30 Patienten. Dafür verwendeten wir die ARMS-QPCR und WTB-AS QPCR als zwei allel-spezifische Amplifikationsmethoden und untersuchten 142 Proben der ersten Kohorte (n=14) und 32 Proben einer zweiten Kohorte (n=16) im direkten Vergleich. Aus unseren Ergebnissen konnten folgende Rückschlüsse gezogen werden: 1. Die beiden allel-spezifischen Amplifikationsmethoden ARMS-QPCR und WTB-AS QPCR zur Quantifizierung der JAK2 p.V617F Mutation sind vergleichbar. 2. Als Ausgangsmaterial sind antikoaguliertes Vollblut oder auch Beckenkammbiopsien gleichermaßen geeignet. 3. Der Nachweis von > 1% JAK2 p.V617F Allele 28 Tage nach allogener SCT ist assoziiert mit einem signifikant höheren Rezidivrisiko einer JAK2 positiven MPN und einem schlechteren Gesamtüberleben.