Multicenter prospective study of clonal complications in adult aplastic anemia patients following recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (lenograstim) administration

To elucidate the relationship between treatment with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and the development of chromosomal abnormalities and clonal evolution in adult aplastic anemia (AA) patients, we performed a prospective multicenter study. Of the 104 registered patients, 91 were found by the central review committee to have the diagnosis of AA. Of the 91 patients, 84 were determined to be evaluable in this study and were treated with regimens including G-CSF (lenograstim). A time-course study (at registration and 6 and 12 months after registration) of G-banded chromosomes, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis for monosomy 7, and morphological assessment of bone marrow was performed with these patients during the 1-year follow-up period. G-banding analysis demonstrated the development of cytogenetic abnormalities in 10 (16.1%) of the 62 evaluable patients. The most common aberration was monosomy 7. FISH analysis demonstrated monosomy 7 in 7 (10.4%) of the 67 evaluable patients. Evolution into myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) was observed in 5 (7.7%) of the 65 patients who underwent morphological assessment of bone marrow. All patients who developed cytogenetic abnormalities or MDS received immunosuppressive agents and/or steroids with G-CSF. This study demonstrated that some adult AA patients exhibit evolution into MDS and development of chromosomal abnormalities such as monosomy 7. Although the incidence seems to be comparable with that found in previous studies, further long-term follow-up will be necessary to confirm the relationship between G-CSF and the development of chromosomal abnormalities and MDS.     

Prognostic implications of morphology and karyotype in primary myelodysplastic syndromes

Forty-nine patients with primary myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) were subclassified according to French-American-British (FAB) Cooperative Group criteria. Eight patients had acquired idiopathic sideroblastic anemia (AISA), ten had chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMMoL), 14 had refractory anemia (RA), nine had refractory anemia with excess blasts (RAEB), and five had refractory anemia with excess blasts in transformation (RAEB-T); three patients could not be subclassified. The actuarial median survival for patients with AISA or with RA had not been reached at 60 months of follow-up. The median survival times for patients with CMMoL, RAEB, and RAEB-T were 25, 21, and 16 months, respectively. The percentages of patients with each subtype who developed ANLL were none in AISA, 20% in CMMoL, 7% in RA, 56% in RAEB, and 40% in RAEB-T. Patients with CMMoL had a poor prognosis independent of transformation to acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL), whereas patients with RAEB and RAEB-T had a high incidence of transformation and short survival times. Clonal chromosomal abnormalities were present in bone marrow cells from 19 patients at the time of diagnosis, and two others developed an abnormal karyotype at the time of leukemic transformation. The most frequent abnormalities, including initial and evolutionary changes, were trisomy 8 (9 patients), deletion of 5q (4 patients), and deletion of 20q (4 patients). The median survival times were 32 months for patients with an abnormal karyotype, and 48 months for those with a normal karyotype (P = 0.2). Specific chromosomal abnormalities were not associated with particular histologic subtypes; however, a high percentage of patients with RAEB and RAEB-T had an abnormal clone (89% and 80%, respectively). The percentages of patients with clonal abnormalities were 13% for AISA, 20% for CMMoL, and 29% for RA. The MDS transformed to ANLL in 42% of patients with an abnormal karyotype, compared to 10% of those with an initially normal karyotype (P less than .01). Among patients with RA, RAEB, and RAEB-T, the risk of leukemic transformation was confined to those with an abnormal karyotype (P less than .01). Thus, in the present study, morphology and karyotype combined were the best indicators of outcome in patients with MDS.     

老年骨髓增生异常综合征患者染色体核型及临床研究

目的探讨骨髓增生异常综合征（MDS）患者染色体异常克隆与WHO分型及临床转归的关系，以及老年MDS患者国际预后积分系统（IPSS）分组特点。方法采用骨髓短期培养和G显带技术对48例MDS患者进行染色体核型分析，同时追踪其临床病情进展情况。结果48例MDS患者中，老年患者28例，占58．3％。IPSS评分中危2组和高危组老年患者为21例，占75％，非老年患者11例，占55％。在48例患者中有28例检出异常克隆，以高度复杂异常和＋8最多。难治性贫血（RA）异常核型检出率29．4％，难治性血细胞减少伴多系增生异常（RCMD）异常核型检出率66．6％，难治性贫血伴原始细胞增多（RAEB）异常核型检出率76％。48例患者经追踪观察，17例（11例为老年患者）转化为急性白血病，其中复杂和高度复杂核型异常者8例。IPSS评分中高危组白血病转化率为71．4％，明显高于其它组。结论老年MDS患者中，中高危患者比例高，染色体核型分析在MDS的预后评估中有重要价值。     

骨髓增生异常综合征免疫表型分析

目的：探讨免疫表型测定在骨髓增生异常综合征（MDS）诊断及分型中的价值。方法：采用一组系列相关单克隆抗体和流式细胞术对19例MDS患者免疫表型进行检测，并对其中的10例进行了细胞遗传学检查。结果：MDS患者骨髓单个核细胞（MNC）CD13，CD33抗原表达率平均分别为36．69％和41．86％，而T淋巴系抗原CD3的表达平均仅为14．49％，且随着低危的难治性贫血（RA）向高危的难治笥贫血伴原始细胞增多（RAEB）或难治性贫血伴原始细胞增多－转变型（RAEB-t)的进展，较早期的髓系抗原CD13，CD33及干（祖）细胞抗原CD34的表达升高，并伴有T淋巴系抗原CD3的表达降低。10例进行了细胞遗传学检查的患者中，5例有染色体核型异常，染色体核型异常的患者与染色体核型正常的患者在抗原表达上存在区别。结论：对MDS患者进行免疫表型检查有助于MDS的诊断分型研究。     

Numerical gain and structural rearrangements of JAK2, identified by FISH, characterize both JAK2617V>F-positive and -negative patients with Ph-negative MPD, myelodysplasia, and B-lymphoid neoplasms

OBJECTIVE: Current evidence suggests that the JAK2617V>F point mutation is implicated in the pathogenesis of >90% of polycythemia vera (PV) patients, and in approximately 50% of primary myelofibrosis (PMF) and essential thrombocythemia patients. Novel JAK2 mutations were recently described in 5% to 15% of patients that are JAK2617V>F-negative. Additionally, JAK2 is reported to form fusion hybrids with three different genes. We, therefore, hypothesized that patients with 9p24 chromosomal rearrangements or patients with Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)-negative myeloproliferative disorders (MPDs), with or without +9/+9p chromosomal abnormalities, might demonstrate additional and/or cryptic JAK2 structural rearrangements. METHODS: Metaphase and interphase cells were retrospectively investigated from 39 patients using two JAK2 BAC fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) probes on archived fixed cell suspensions. Of the 39 patients, 8 had PV with chromosome 9 abnormalities, 7 had PMF/MPD showing an abnormal karyotype, 10 PV patients were cytogenetically normal, and 14 patients had 9p24 chromosomal abnormalities. RESULTS: FISH studies revealed 11 JAK2617V>F-positive patients with JAK2 numerical and structural abnormalities. Trisomy through hexasomy as well as JAK2 amplification (15-20 copies) was observed in nine patients (PV, 6; non-Hodgkin lymphoma [NHL], 1; multiple myeloma, 1; and MDS, 1), while JAK2 structural abnormalities were seen in two patients (MDS and NHL). Among the seven patients negative for JAK2617V>F mutation, two patients with MDS were observed with JAK2 rearrangements involving NF-E2 and AML1. The status of JAK2617V>F mutation could not be determined in 13 patients, but FISH studies revealed both gain and rearrangements in three patients. They include one patient with PV and +9p with three copies of JAK2 and two patients with MDS and JAK2 relocations: one with NF-E2, while the other patient with a TEL/ETV6 rearrangements also had tetrasomy for JAK2. CONCLUSION: JAK2 FISH studies revealed two types of JAK2 rearrangements among patients with Ph-negative MPDs and non-MPDs: gain and/or structural rearrangements. Gain and amplification of JAK2 was primarily observed in patients that were JAK2617V>F-positive (9 of 11), irrespective of the diagnosis, while rearrangements of JAK2 were frequently seen in patients who lacked the JAK2617V>F mutation with either MDS or AML (5 of 6). Three different JAK2 abnormalities were identified in one clone for the first time in two patients with PV. The data also identified a myriad of JAK2 rearrangements, including a novel JAK2-NF-E2 interaction, JAK2 translocation to chromosomes 3, 4, 12, 14, and 21 and detection of the previously described rare TEL/ETV6-JAK2 translocation. These observations suggest that JAK2 attracts multiple gene partners and may contribute to disease progression in patients with MDS and B-cell malignancies, while the JAK2 copy number appears to be important in pathogenesis of Ph-negative MPDs.     

Cytogenetic analysis of 52 Indian patients with de novo myelodysplastic syndromes—a comparative analysis of results with reports from Asia

Most published data on myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are derived from Western countries, which report MDS as a disease of the elderly. However, it was observed that Asian MDS patients were younger than subjects in Western reports. With this in mind, the study was conducted prospectively on 52 Indian patients to define chromosomal abnormalities and to understand ethno-geographical differences, if any, underlying the pathogenesis of MDS among this Asian population. Cytogenetic analysis was performed using GTG banding and karyotyped according to the International System for Human Cytogenetic Nomenclature (ISCN). The incidence of MDS was predominant in the age group of 41–60 years (44.23%), with a median age at diagnosis of 55 years. The disease was more frequent in males (33 patients, 63.46%) than females (19 patients, 36.53%). Of 48 patients successfully karyotyped, 17 had normal karyotype (35.4%) and 31 patients (64.5%) had a chromosomal abnormality. The most frequent chromosome abnormalities were del 5q/–5 in 13 patients (42%), –7/7q– in 10 patients (32.2%), +8 and del 20q– in 6 cases each (19.3%) and i(17)(q10) in 1 patient (3.2%). In addition to these non-random chromosomal abnormalities, some rare abnormalities were also encountered. A higher rate of transformation to acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) was observed in the Chinese population compared to other Asian countries. The incidence of chromosomal abnormalities varied considerably across the different Asian populations. The overall frequency of chromosomal abnormalities in our study was comparable to most Western reports. Further prospective studies are warranted to elucidate precisely the ethnic differences in the pathogenesis of MDS in the Indian population.     

Chromosomal abnormalities in women with breast cancer after autologous stem cell transplantation are infrequent and may not predict development of therapy-related leukemia or myelodysplastic syndrome

We determined prospectively the incidence of chromosomal abnormalities in patients with high-risk breast cancer (HRBC) after high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT), and correlated the cytogenetic abnormalities with the development of post-transplant myelodysplastic syndrome or acute myeloid leukemia (MDS/AML). From 1990 to 1999, 229 women with HRBC underwent ASCT. Cytogenetic analysis of bone marrow (BM) cells was performed 12-59 months after ASCT in 60 consecutive women uniformly treated with six courses of FAC/FEC followed by HDCT and ASCT. With a median follow-up of 36 months after ASCT, there were no cases of MDS/AML among the 229 patients. In the selected cohort of 60 patients, three (5%) showed clonal chromosomal abnormalities (two single trisomy X and one t(1;6)), whereas two additional patients showed non-clonal reciprocal translocations. Two of the patients with clonal aberrations had blood cytopenias as well as subtle dysplastic pictures in BM which were not classifiable as MDS according to the FAB criteria. Similar dysplastic features were also observed in four patients with normal karyotypes. All cytogenetic aberrations were transient and disappeared, except a +X detected by FISH in a residual cell population in one of the patients. Retrospective cytogenetic and FISH studies of samples obtained after six cycles of FAC/FEC and before transplant demonstrated no chromosomal abnormalities in any of the five patients with post-ASCT karyotypic changes. Early changes in karyotype detected in breast cancer patients following ASCT are transient and do not correlate with or predict development of MDS/AML. As these aberrations were not present before ASCT, they may be related to the HDCT regimen or transplant procedure rather than to the prior adjuvant therapy. Our results suggest that ASCT may be less likely to cause MDS or AML in breast cancer patients as compared to other malignancies. Bone Marrow Transplantation (2000) 25, 1203-1208.     

骨髓增生异常综合征患者姐妹染色单体分化的研究

目的 验证骨髓细胞姐妹染色体单体分化（SCD）检测法在骨髓增生异常综合征（MDS）诊断和预后判断中的意义。方法 对临床上疑为MDS的50例患者分别进行5′溴脱氧尿嘧啶核苷－姐妹染色单体分化染色法（BrdU-SCD)检测和染色体核型分析。结果 50例中32例（64.0%）SCD延迟,对照组中13例急性髓系白血病（AML）患者全部延迟,非恶性血液病中仅2例（10.5%）延迟,而例正常人中无一例延迟。MDS与AML、正常人、再生障碍性贫血（AA）、其他良性增生性贫血之间的SCD延迟率及平均细胞周期时间的差异具有显著性;而正常人与AA、其他良性增生性贫血之间的差异无显著性。随着MDS病情进展,细胞周期时间逐渐延长。50例中24例（48.0%）检出克隆性核型改变。按FAB分型不能确诊为MDS7例中6例有克隆性异常。SCD正常组和延迟组的病死率分别为11.8%和50.0%（P＜0.05）,白血病转化率分别为5.9%和16.7%（P＞0.05）,中位生存时间分别为12和8个月（P＝0.051）。结论 骨髓细胞SCD检测对MDS具有一定的鉴别诊断和预后判断意义。     

rHuEpo administration in patients with low-risk myelodysplastic syndromes: evaluation of erythroid precursors' response by fluorescence in situ hybridization on May-Grunwald-Giemsa-stained bone marrow samples

The issue of whether, in patients affected by myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), haematological response to cytokines, particularly to recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEpo), is a phenomenon related to the stimulation of normal haemopoietic cells or to the differentiation of cells belonging to the abnormal clone remains an open question. To assess the pattern of response to rHuEpo treatment of bone marrow (BM) cells, we evaluated in 13 low-risk MDS patients with known cytogenetic abnormalities the number of cytogenetically normal and abnormal cells by conventional cytogenetic analysis (CCA) and by a fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique, enabling the simultaneous visualization of FISH chromosomal abnormalities in morphologically and immunophenotypically identifiable BM elements. Patients responding to rHuEpo presented a lower number of abnormal metaphases at diagnosis in comparison with patients who did not respond (22.74% vs 76.23%, P = < 0.001). This was confirmed by the combined morphological FISH analysis, showing that, before treatment, BM samples from patients responding to rHuEpo had a lower proportion of both FISH abnormal erythroid (36.48% vs 66.93%, P = 0.002) and myeloid (40.76% vs 67.70%, P = 0.014) elements than unresponsive patients. After rHuEpo treatment, responding patients presented a significantly lower proportion of FISH abnormal erythroid precursors than observed before treatment (16.93%vs 36.48%, P = 0.017). Likewise, in responding patients, a significantly lower proportion of FISH abnormal erythroid elements (16.93% vs 66.30%, P < 0.001) was detected in comparison with unresponsive patients. These findings provide evidence that, in low-risk MDS patients with known cytogenetic abnormalities, response to rHuEpo may be due to the proliferation of karyotypically normal erythroid precursors, possibly representing residual normal erythroid elements.     

Aplastic anemia or aplastic preleukemic syndrome?

 The incidence of aplastic anemia appears to be relatively high in some parts of the world, including Pakistan. Since some of the etiological factors are shared by aplastic anemia and the preleukemic syndrome, there is a strong possibility that a proportion of cases of aplastic anemia may in fact be preleukemia.The study of chromosomes offers a relatively easy method of detecting cases of preleukemia, because some chromosomal abnormalities are frequently observed in this condition. Chromosomal studies were carried out in peripheral blood cell cultures of 31 patients with otherwise typical aplastic anemia. Chromosomal abnormalities were detected in 7 (22.5 %) cases. The most common chromosomal abnormality detected was trisomy 8, seen in four cases. Other abnormalities detected were 22q-, t(14;22) and t(15;21), in one case each. These abnormalities have been found to be associated with AML, MDS, ALL, and NHL as well. We hypothesize that a proportion of cases of otherwise typical aplastic anemia may in fact be due to a leukemic process in evolution. Received: 7 April 1997 / Accepted: 16 June 1997     

Prevalence and survival of myelodysplastic syndrome of the refractory anemia type in hospitalized cognitively different geriatric patients

BACKGROUND: Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is predominantly a disease of old age. The number of MDS cases diagnosed over the last 20 years has risen substantially due to increased awareness and improved geriatric care. Although MDS is increasingly diagnosed, the prevalence and prognosis of early-stage affected elderly are not completely known. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence, characteristics and prognosis of newly diagnosed MDS patients hospitalized in an acute and subacute geriatric department. METHODS: Between 1993 and 1996, 3,275 patients hospitalized in the geriatric department of a teaching hospital for acute care or short-term rehabilitation were investigated for unexplained hematological abnormalities. Demographic, chronic comorbidities, cause of hospitalization, functional and cognitive status, hematological and other laboratory parameters were collected. RESULTS: Two hundred and forty-five (7.5%) patients had unexplained cytopenia, macrocytosis or monocytosis, of whom 37 (15%) were diagnosed as having MDS. Only 9 patients were hospitalized for evaluation of anemia, 28 for infections, cardiac, cerebrovascular events and other causes. Thirty-four patients had refractory anemia (RA), two had RA with ringed sideroblasts and 1 had RA with an excess of blasts (RAEB). The follow-up period was up to 70 months. No differences were found between demented and cognitively normal patients in age, sex, comorbidities or laboratory parameters. Comparison of survival curves (excluding the RAEB case) according to demographic, clinical and hematological parameters has shown that only dementia adversely affects survival, compared to cognitively normal patients (p = 0.024). CONCLUSIONS: MDS of the RA type is a common and incidental finding in older hospitalized patients. It is a frequent cause of anemia and other hematological abnormalities but has less significance on survival rates than dementia, although its full impact remains to be determined.     

Comparison between interphase and metaphase cytogenetics in detecting chromosome 7 defects in hematological neoplasias

Monosomy 7 (–7) is one of the most common chromosomal abnormalities found in the leukemic cells of patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Because patients with –7 have a poor prognosis, their identification is important for treatment planning. Conventionally, –7 is detected by the G-banding technique. This study examines the use of fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) methodology to detect –7 cells in interphase nuclei and metaphase chromosomes. Fifteen AML or MDS patients whose leukemic cells were found to have –7 by G-banding at disease presentation were studied. In 13 of these patients, –7 could be detected in interphase by FISH using a chromosome 7-specific centromeric DNA probe. The two patients whose leukemic cells were not detectable by interphase FISH had –7 and t(1q;7p), which were detectable by FISH in metaphase using a chromosome 7-specific painting probe. Metaphase FISH was particularly useful in further defining chromosome 7 defects in cells that contained aberrant or marker chromosomes. For example, in 6 patients, chromosome 7 sequences were detectable in aberrant or marker chromosomes by metaphase FISH, but not by G-banding. These results suggest that metaphase FISH is an important adjunct to conventional cytogenetic methods for defining chromosome 7 abnormalities in AML and MDS patients. Furthermore, interphase FISH is useful for follow-up studies in patients who are found informative for the FISH study at presentation.     

Cytogenetic responses in high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome following low-dose treatment with the DNA methylation inhibitor 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine

Decitabine (5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine) acts as a powerful demethylating agent in vitro. Clinically, low-dose decitabine ameliorates cytopenias including induction of trilineage responses in approximately 50% of patients with high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). We examined the incidence and kinetics of cytogenetic responses to decitabine in these patients. Of 115 successfully karyotyped patients, 61 (53%) had clonal chromosomal abnormalities prior to treatment. Major cytogenetic responses were observed in 19 patients (31% of those with abnormal cytogenetics, 17% of all patients by intention-to-treat) after a median of three courses (range, 2-6) until best cytogenetic response. Progressive decrease of the abnormal clone over time was also determined using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis in two patients. Median duration of cytogenetic responses was 7.5 months (range, 3-15). Analysis of response by the International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) cytogenetic risk groups revealed three out of five cytogenetic responses (60%) in the IPSS 'low-risk' group, 6 out of 30 with 'intermediate risk' (20%) and 10 out of 26 in the 'high-risk' group (38%). Median survival in these cytogenetic subgroups was 30, 8 and 13 months respectively. The relative risk of death in patients achieving a major cytogenetic response was 0.38 (95% confidence interval 0.17-0.88) compared with patients in whom the cytogenetically abnormal clone persisted (P = 0.0213). In conclusion, repeated courses of low-dose decitabine induce cytogenetic remissions in a substantial number of elderly MDS patients with pre-existing chromosomal abnormalties; these are associated with improved survival compared with patients in whom the cytogenetically abnormal clone persists. Patients with 'high-risk' chromosomal abnormalities may particularly benefit from this treatment.     

间期荧光原位杂交技术检测骨髓增生异常综合征-7/7q-染色体异常的价值

目的探讨应用间期荧光原位杂交（FISH）技术检测7号染色体/7号染色体长臂缺失（-7/7q-）异常在骨髓增生异常综合征（MDS）中的价值。方法采用常规细胞遗传学（CC）和间期FISH检测技术对72例MDS患者和8例正常对照者的骨髓细胞进行分析,比较CC和FISH检测-7/7q-异常的情况。结果 72例MDS中,12例CC检测阳性,发生率16.7%。间期FISH检测24例阳性,发生率33.3%。两种方法检出率有统计学差异（P〈0.05）。结论间期FISH技术敏感性高于CC,并能发现和纠正CC分析中的漏检异常。     

Interphase cytogenetic analysis of in vivo differentiation in the myelodysplasia of Down syndrome

In Down syndrome, acute megakaryoblastic leukemia (AMKL) occurs frequently during the first 4 years of life and is usually preceded by a period of myelodysplasia (MDS), often associated with chromosomal abnormalities. Archival peripheral blood and/or bone marrow films of six patients with Down syndrome and MDS whose leukemic cells contained monosomy 7 or trisomy 8 were studied to determine whether the abnormal precursors produce mature cells in vivo. Using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) of interphase nuclei with chromosome-specific centromere probes for either chromosome 7 or 8, we were able to determine which cells had one, two, or three signals indicative of one, two, or three no. 7 or 8 chromosomes. In five patients with trisomy 8, 80% to 100% (94.5% +/- 6.2%) of the megakaryoblasts had three signals using a chromosome 8 probe; in one patient with monosomy 7, 96.5% of the megakaryoblasts had one signal using a chromosome 7 probe. In all six patients, the myeloid and lymphoid series did not have evidence of the chromosomal abnormality present in the blasts. In three of five patients with trisomy 8, three signals were observed in 27%, 33%, and 41% of normoblasts, respectively. These data are evidence that the abnormal cell in MDS is a progenitor cell with the potential of forming cells of megakaryocyte and erythroid lineages.     

Refractory anemia in childhood: a retrospective analysis of 67 patients with particular reference to monosomy 7

Primary myelodysplasia (MDS) without an increased number of blasts is a rare finding in childhood. We performed a retrospective analysis of 67 children with a diagnosis of primary MDS to determine the clinical and hematologic course of the disease. The median age at diagnosis was 8.3 years (range, 0.3-18.1 years). In contrast to refractory anemia in adults, 44% of patients had hemoglobin levels greater than 10 g/100 mL. The median white blood cell count and the absolute neutrophil count were 3.6 x 109/L and 0.9 x 109/L, respectively. Seventy-five percent of patients had thrombocytopenia. Bone marrow was hypocellular in 43% of the patients. Results of cytogenetic analysis showed monosomy 7 in 49%, trisomy 8 in 9%, and other abnormalities in 9% of the patients. The probability of survival 10 years after diagnosis was 0.48 (standard error [SE] = 0.10). Patients with monosomy 7 had significantly higher estimated probabilities of progression to advanced MDS than did patients with other chromosomal anomalies or normal karyotype. Of the 67 children, 41 underwent allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT). Patients whose disease did not progress to advanced MDS before SCT had significantly greater probability of survival than patients who experienced progression (0.76 [SE = 0.09] vs 0.36 [SE = 0.16]). SCT improved the outcomes for patients with monosomy 7 and should be offered early in the course of the disease. Recommendations for best treatment options for children with other chromosomal abnormalities or normal karyotype may have to await results of prospective clinical trials.     

Spectral karyotyping and interphase FISH reveal abnormalities not detected by conventional G-banding. Implications for treatment stratification of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: detailed analysis of 70 cases

Seventy uniformly treated children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia were analysed for chromosomal abnormalities with conventional G-banding, spectral karyotyping (SKY) and interphase fluorescent in situ hybridisation (FISH) using probes to detect MLL, BCR/ABL, TEL/AML1 rearrangements and INK4 locus deletions. Numerical and/or structural changes could be identified in 80% of the patients by the use of molecular cytogenetic techniques, whereas abnormalities could be detected in 60% of the patients using G-banding alone. Altogether, 106 structural aberrations were defined by FISH compared to 34 using G-banding. Seventy-four percent of the patients had numerical aberrations, 54% structural aberrations and 20% had no identified aberrations. Twelve cases had prognostically unfavourable chromosomal aberrations that had not been detected in the G-banded analysis. We identified three novel TEL partner breakpoints on 1q41, 8q24 and 21p12, and a recurrent translocation t(1;12)(p32;p13) was found. In addition, two cases displayed amplification (7-15 copies) of AML1. Our results demonstrate the usefulness of SKY and interphase FISH for the identification of novel chromosome aberrations and cytogenetic abnormalities that provide prognostically important information in childhood ALL.     

Prognostic value of clonal chromosomal abnormalities in patients with primary myelodysplastic syndromes

Chromosome analyses were carried out on bone marrow cells from 43 consecutive patients with primary myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), classified according to the French-American-British (FAB) cooperative group criteria. The objective was to evaluate the prognostic value of clonal chromosomal abnormalities and of an excess of blasts for early death from acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) and/or bone marrow failure (BMF). Patients were subdivided into two main groups: (1) refractory anemia without an excess of blasts (RAWEB), grouping patients with refractory anemia (RA) and refractory anemia with ringed sideroblasts (RARS), and (2) refractory anemia with an excess of blasts (RAEB), grouping patients with refractory anemia with an excess of blasts (RAEB) and refractory anemia with an excess of blasts in transformation (RAEBt). There were 29 patients with RAWEB and 14 with RAEB. The median time of observation was 26 months for RAWEB and 12 months for RAEB. Ten RAWEB patients (34%) and 11 RAEB patients (78%) had clonal chromosomal abnormalities. Among the ten RAWEB patients with clonal abnormalities, one (10%) died from ANLL, while of 19 RAWEB patients with a normal karyotype, two (10%) died from ANLL or BMF. The median survival for patients with RAWEB and an abnormal karyotype was not reached. In contrast, eight of the 11 RAEB patients with clonal chromosomal abnormalities (74%) died from ANLL or BMF. The median survival in this sub-group was 7 months. By using a Cox proportional hazard regression analysis, it was determined that a karyotype abnormality was not a significant predictory of survival once the contribution of the RAWEB/RAEB variable was taken into account. Being in the RAEB group was associated with a relative risk of 10.6 of dying from ANLL or BMF (beta = 2.36, standard error (SE) = 0.68, P = .0001). We conclude that classifying patients according to an excess of blasts will lead to a better prediction of survival than determining karyotype abnormality.     

Chromosome and molecular abnormalities in myelodysplastic syndromes

Cytogenetic abnormalities are seen in approximately 50% of cases of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and 80% of cases of secondary MDS (following chemotherapy or radiotherapy). These abnormalities generally consist of partial or complete chromosome deletion or addition (del5q, -7, +8, -Y, del20q), whereas balanced or unbalanced translocations are rarely found in MDS. Fluorescence hybridization techniques (fluorescence in situ hybridization [FISH], multiplex FISH, and spectral karyotyping) are useful in detecting chromosomal anomalies in cases in which few mitoses are obtained or rearrangements are complex. Ras mutations are the molecular abnormalities most frequently found in MDS, followed by p15 gene hypermethylation, FLT3 duplications, and p53 mutations, but none of these abnormalities are specific for MDS. The rare cases of balanced translocations in MDS have allowed the identification of genes whose rearrangements appear to play a role in the pathogenesis of some cases of MDS. These genes include MDS1-EVI1 in t(3;3) or t(3;21) translocations, TEL in t(5;12), HIP1 in t(5;7), MLF1 in t(3;5), and MEL1 in t(1;3). Genes more frequently implicated in the pathogenesis of MDS cases, such as those involving del5q, remain unknown, although some candidate genes are currently being studied. Cytogenetic and known molecular abnormalities generally carry a poor prognosis in MDS and can be incorporated into prognostic scoring systems such as the International Prognostic Scoring System.     

Chromosomal abnormalities in systemic amyloidosis

Primary systemic amyloidosis (AL) is a plasma cell disorder characterized by deposition of monoclonal light chains in different organ systems. Although multiple and complex numerical chromosomal abnormalities have been described in patients with multiple myeloma, it is currently unknown whether such changes occur in systemic amyloidosis.
Bone marrow samples from 21 patients with AL were studied by standard cytogenetics and interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for the presence of numerical chromosomal abnormalities. We tested for six chromosomes (7, 11, 9, 15, 18 and X) using centromere-specific probes. The monoclonal plasma cells were identified by simultaneous fluorescent staining of the monotypic cytoplasmic immunoglobulin. We compared these results with those obtained from 19 patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and normal controls.
Multiple numerical chromosomal abnormalities were detected in AL by interphase FISH, including trisomy of chromosomes 7 (42%), 9 (52%), 11 (47%), 15 (39%), 18 (33%) and X (13% in women and 54% in men). Monosomy of chromosome 18 was seen in 72% of cases. Previous exposure to alkylator therapy did not appear to correlate with these abnormalities. No significant difference was observed in the prevalence of these abnormalities between AL and MGUS.
Multiple chromosomal numerical abnormalities were detected by interphase FISH analysis in patients with AL, especially monosomy of chromosome 18. Aneuploidy in the monotypic plasma supports a neoplastic nature for the disorder.