Cytogenetic study of 130 patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia.

Results of cytogenetic examination of 130 patients (62 males and 68 females, mean age 48.7 +/- 18.7 years) with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) are presented. All patients were examined at the onset of the disease. According to the FAB classification, 35 (26.9%) patients were diagnosed as having M 1, 42 (32.3%) M 2,9 (6.9%) M 3, 29 (22.3%) M 4, 8 (6.2%) M 5 and 7 (5.4%) M 6 subtype of ANLL. Normal karyotype (NN) was found in 29 (22.3%) patients studied, normal and abnormal clones (AN) in 24 (18.5%) and abnormal chromosomes only (AA) in 77 (59.2%) patients. Thus 78% of patients showed a clonal karyotypic abnormality. Specific chromosomal abnormalities t(8;21), t(15;17), t(9;22), inv(16), del(16), del(11q) were found in 30.7% of AA and AN patients. Nonrandom chromosomal changes (+8, 5q--, --5, --7) were noted in 53.4% of them. Single chromosomal change was found in 40.5% of patients and complex changes with more chromosomal clones were presented in the test. Relationship between prognosis and chromosomal finding was evaluated.