Abstract: The present invention relates to the identification of genetic markers patients with leukemia, especially including acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at high risk for relapse, especially high risk B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) and associated methods and their relationship to therapeutic outcome. The present invention also relates to diagnostic, prognostic and related methods using these genetic markers, as well as kits which provide microchips and/or immunoreagents for performing analysis on leukemia patients.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for predicting the outcome of therapeutic intervention in cases of leukemia, especially acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children and adults. The present invention evaluates a gene expression profile and identifies prognostic genes of cancers, in particular leukemia, more particularly B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The present invention provides a method of determining prognosis of leukemia, in particular, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, more particularly B-precursor ALL and predicting therapeutic outcome of a patient. The method comprises the steps of first establishing the threshold value of at least three prognostic genes of leukemia, preferably at least eight prognostic genes, or preferably, as many as 26 prognostic genes. Then, the amount of the prognostic gene(s) from a leukemia patient is determined.