PICALM–MLLT10 acute myeloid leukemia: A French cohort of 18 patients

Abstract The PICALM–MLLT10 fusion gene, generated by the t(10;11)(p12-13;q14-21) translocation, is a rare but recurrent event in acute leukemias. In this study, we assessed the characteristics and outcome of 18 PICALM–MLLT10 AML patients. As compared with non PICALM–MLLT10 patients ( n  = 72), PICALM–MLLT10 AML were characterized by more frequent extramedullary diseases, CD7 expression and higher platelet counts. Three out of four therapy-related PICALM–MLLT10 AMLs had been previously treated for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. The complete response rate was 71% after intensive chemotherapy. PICALM–MLLT10 patients had a shorter median overall survival than patients with favorable cytogenetics (12 months vs. not reached, p  = 0.07) but not significantly different from those of intermediate (26 months, p  = 0.32) or unfavorable cytogenetic groups (8 months, p  = 0.13). Long term responses were achieved in a subset of patients after allogeneic stem-cell transplantation but also after high-dose cytarabine.