Age- and gender-based frequency and association of common myeloproliferative mutations in a South African cohort

African Journal of Laboratory Medicine

 
 
Field Value
 
Title Age- and gender-based frequency and association of common myeloproliferative mutations in a South African cohort
 
Creator Mbele, Bathabile Bhowan, Kapila Roets, Brendon
 
Subject Biomedical science; Cytogenetics; Hematology breakpoint cluster region-Abelson kinase 1; calreticulin; Janus kinase-2 exon 12; Janus kinase-2 p.V617F; myeloproliferative leukaemia virus oncogene; myeloproliferative neoplasms
Description Background: Age, gender, and mutation type are key risk factors for myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). Africa remains under-represented in global cancer statistics due to limited population-based genomic data.Objective: To determine the frequency and demographic associations of common MPN-related genetic abnormalities in the South African population.Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis of cytogenetic results for Janus kinase-2 p.V617F (JAK-2 p.V617F), Janus kinase-2 exon 12 (JAK-2 exon 12), calreticulin (CALR), myeloproliferative leukaemia virus oncogene (MPL), and breakpoint cluster region-Abelson kinase 1 (BCR::ABL1) was conducted from 01 January 2018 to 31 May 2023. Data were retrieved from the National Health Laboratory Service and analysed for associations with age and gender using Fisher’s Exact Test or Pearson’s Chi-Square Test (p  0.05).Results: A total of 8934 patient records were analysed; 58% were male patients and 42% female patients, with a mean age of 50 ± 17 years. Among sequence variant changes, 18.2% of MPN cases were positive for BCR::ABL1, 8.5% for JAK-2 p.V617F, 0.5% for CALR, 0.04% for MPL, and none for JAK-2 exon 12. BCR::ABL1 showed equal sex distribution, while JAK-2 p.V617F increased with age and showed slight female predominance (p = 0.002). CALR and MPL frequencies were too low for meaningful association testing.Conclusion: BCR::ABL1 was the most frequent abnormality, especially in younger age groups, whereas JAK-2 p.V617F was linked to increasing age and female predominance.What this study adds: MPN genetic testing in South Africa predominantly targeted male patients (ratio 1.4:1). BCR::ABL1 was the most common abnormality, particularly in individuals aged 18 to 49 years, while JAK-2 p.V617F showed a slight female predominance (1:1.2).
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor University of Johannesburg National Health Laboratory Service STATKON
Date 2026-01-08
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — Retrospective cross-sectional study
Format text/html application/epub+zip text/xml application/pdf application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/ajlm.v15i1.2862
 
Source African Journal of Laboratory Medicine; Vol 15, No 1 (2026); 8 pages 2225-2010 2225-2002
 
Language eng
 
Relation
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:

https://ajlmonline.org/index.php/ajlm/article/view/2862/3401 https://ajlmonline.org/index.php/ajlm/article/view/2862/3402 https://ajlmonline.org/index.php/ajlm/article/view/2862/3403 https://ajlmonline.org/index.php/ajlm/article/view/2862/3412 https://ajlmonline.org/index.php/ajlm/article/view/2862/3404
 
Coverage South Africa — Myeloproliferative neoplasm mutations; Age (18 years and above); Gender (male and female)
Rights Copyright (c) 2026 Bathabile Mbele, Kapila Bhowan, Brendon Roets https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
ADVERTISEMENT