FLT۳-ITD Incidence and FLT-D۸۳۵ Mutations in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patients with Normal Karyotype in Morocco: A Preliminary Study

Background:According to numerous studies, FMS-like tyrosine kinase ۳, internal tandem duplication, and the D۸۳۵ mutation are associated with a poor prognostic clinical outcome in acute myeloid leukemia patients. Detection of the FMS-like tyrosine kinase ۳ mutation in patients who present with normal karyotype acute myeloid leukemia helps in both the understanding of the disease and the treatment of patients. This study evaluates the incidence of FMS-like tyrosine kinase ۳-internal tandem duplication and FMS-like tyrosine kinase ۳-D۸۳۵ mutation in newly diagnosed patients with normal karyotype acute myeloid leukemia.Methods: This study looked at ۳۳ new cases who presented with normal karyotype acute myeloid leukemia at diagnosis. We collected peripheral blood samples from patients at diagnosis. FMS-like tyrosine kinase ۳-internal tandem duplication mutation was detected using polymerase chain reaction and FMS-like tyrosine kinase ۳-D۸۳۵ mutation by restriction fragment length polymorphism after polymerase chain reaction.Results: FMS-like tyrosine kinase ۳-internal tandem duplication mutation was found in ۱۸% (۶/۳۳) of all patients and in ۳۰% (۶/۲۰) of patients over ۳۰ years of age. FMS- like tyrosine kinase ۳-internal tandem duplication mutation was most common with M۲ (۵۰%), M۵ (۳۳.۳%), and M۰ (۱۶.۷%). FMS-like tyrosine kinase ۳-D۸۳۵ mutation was detected in one patient (۳%) that had M۲. No significant association was found between FMS-like tyrosine kinase ۳ mutation and age, sex, white blood cell count, platelets, or blasts percentage.Conclusion:Most of FMS-like tyrosine kinase ۳ mutations were found in patients older than ۳۰ years. The frequency observed in this work is comparable with that observed in the literature. No pediatric case of FMS-like tyrosine kinase ۳ mutation was found in this study. A large scale study is needed to confirm our findings and to further appreciate the prognostic value of FMS-like tyrosine kinase ۳ mutation among Moroccan patients.