Elevated platelet count features the variant type of BCR/ABL junction in chronic myelogenous leukaemia

A variant form of BCR/ABL junction was identified in a patient with chronic myelogenous leukaemia (CML). The BCR/ABL fusion mRNA of this patient showed in-frame junction between BCR exon c3 and ABL exon 2. Although the diagnosis of CML was made, the patient showed clinical features of essential thrombocythaemia (ET) rather than that of typical CML. Treatment with interferon-α showed no cytogenetic response. The c3-a2 type of BCR/ABL junction seems to be associated with elevated platelet count and thus could form a novel clinical entity different from typical CML.