Full Project C: Molecular Epidemiology of Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL) in Hispanic Populations
Co-Investigators
Alberto López-Enríquez, M.D., Professor, Hematology/Oncology Section, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Gabriel López-Berestein, M.D., Professor, Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
An unexplained high frequency (24-30%) of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is reported among Hispanic populations. The aim of this joint project between MD Anderson, Instituto de Enfermedades Neoplasicas (Lima, Peru) and University of Puerto Rico Cancer Center is to obtain preliminary epidemiologic, cytogenetic and molecular parameters to establish the feasibility of larger comparative multi-country studies. Newly diagnosed APL patients admitted to the three centers will be asked to participate in an epidemiological survey and will be examined for each of the four genes (PML, PLZF, NPM and NuMA) that could fuse to retinoic acid receptor-alpha and the retinoic acid specific catabolic enzyme CYP26. We will look for the similarities and differences among the partner proteins in these patients that may explain the high incidence and/or distinct clinical outcome in response to retinoic acid therapy.
Specific Aims
- Epidemiologic Component
To obtain detailed demographic, epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of Hispanic patients diagnosed with APL - Molecular Genetic Component
To evaluate molecular markers of APL and retinoid catabolism - Analytical Component
To examine epidemiologic risk factors, gene-environment and gene-gene interactions in each ethnic group