The mdr1 gene or its glycoprotein product, P-glycoprotein, is detected with high frequency in secondary acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and poor-risk subsets of acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
We therefore looked for mdr1 gene expression at diagnosis within specific cytogenetic aberrations in 331 previously untreated adult patients with de novo or secondary AML (not including t(15;17)) entered into the German SHG AML96 treatment trial.