Minimal residual disease detectable by quantitative assessment of WT1 gene before allogeneic stem cell transplantation in patients in first remission of acute myeloid leukemia has an impact on their future prognosis.

Overall 42 patients (pts) transplanted in hematological CR1 were retrospectively analyzed. Median follow-up was 15 months (range 2-77). The expression of WT1 gene was measured according to the European Leukaemia Net recommendations. At the time of allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) 29 pts were WT1-negative and 13 pts were WT1-positive. In the univariate analysis, significantly better results were observed in the group of WT1 neg in terms of progression-free survival (in three yr 77% vs. 27%, p = 0.001). In multivariate analysis, the only significant feature in terms of better OS was WT1 negativity (p = 0.029). Our results show that minimal residual disease status measured by quantitative assessment of WT1 gene in acute myeloid leukemia pts in CR1 significantly affects their future prognosis after allo-SCT.