Biomarkers in Samples From Patients With B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Micro RNA Expression Analysis in B-Lineage Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia From ALL Trial, E2993, Including Patients With Various Cytogenetic and Molecular Abnormalities

RATIONALE: Studying samples of tissue from patients with cancer in the laboratory may help doctors identify and learn more about biomarkers related to cancer.

PURPOSE: This research study is studying biomarkers in samples from patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia enrolled on ECOG-2993 clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES:

• To identify microRNAs that behave as oncogenes or as tumor suppressor genes in B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in vitro and in vivo.
• To examine if single microRNA or signatures of microRNA correspond to different clinical outcomes in cytogenetically distinct B-ALL groups.

OUTLINE: RNA from archived samples are analyzed for microRNA expression profile in vitro and in vivo.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Samples from patients enrolled on ECOG-2993
• Samples from patients with recurrent cytogenetic abnormalities other than BCR-ABL, including MLL/AF4, E2A/PBX1, and TEL/AML1

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Not specified

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• Not specified