Phe354Leu polymorphism of the liver kinase B1 gene as a prognostic factor in adult egyptian patients with acute myeloid leukemia

The human liver kinase B1 (LKB1) gene is a significant tumor suppressor widely expressed in all fetal and adult tissues. Despite its established role in solid tumors, the biological and clinical implications of LKB1 gene alterations in hematological malignancies have not been sufficiently recognized. This study aimed to determine the frequency of the LKB1 Phe354Leu polymorphism in adult Egyptian patients with cytogenetically normal AML (CN-AML), evaluate its clinical prognostic significance, and investigate its effect on the therapeutic outcome and patient survival. Direct sequencing of amplified exon eight of the LKB1 gene was performed to detect the Phe354Leu polymorphism in 72 adult de novo CN-AML patients. The LKB1 Phe354Leu polymorphism was detected in 16.7% of patients and associated with younger age and lower hemoglobin levels (p