Prognostic potential of detection of WT1 mRNA level in peripheral blood in adult acute myeloid leukemia

We retrospectively analyzed the potential of Wilms' tumor gene 1 (WT1) mRNA levels in peripheral blood for predicting the prognosis of 50 patients with AML. After achieving complete remission (CR), 34 patients (69.4%) were determined to be positive and 15 (30.6%) were negative for WT1. The relapse rate of the positive and negative patients was 73.5% and 40.0% (p = 0.02), respectively. After consolidation therapy, only 15 patients (32.6%) were positive and 31 (67.4%) were negative for WT1. Although the relapse rate of the positive and negative patients was 80.0% and 54.8% (p = 0.10), respectively, the rate of relapse within 1 year was 73.3% in positive patients and only 33.3% in negative patients (p = 0.01), respectively. The disease-free survival (DFS) rate at 3 years was 20.0% for positive patients and 50.0% for negative patients (p = 0.01). The overall survival (OS) rate at 3 years was 42.8% in positive patients and 69.8% in negative patients (p = 0.04), respectively. WT1 mRNA levels in the peripheral blood can predict relapse after CR, and its levels after consolidation therapy are closely correlated with DFS, OS, and early relapse.