Y chromosome loss in childhood leukaemias.

During the past 3 1/2 years cytogenetic studies have been performed on all children with leukaemia prior to treatment. Loss of the Y chromosome documented by chromosome banding techniques, was observed in bone marrow blast cells from two of II consecutive male children. On patient had acute myeloblastic leukaemia of t(8;21) type. The other patient was diagnosed as acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Our studies provide evidence that Y loss occurs in childhood leukemias and is not necessarily related to an ageing process as suggested by others. Futhermore, this study demonstrates that Y loss can occur as a sole abnormality in non-myeloid leukaemia.