Karyotypic findings and prognosis of adult T-cell leukemia patients.

Twelve patients with abnormal karyotypes out of 18 patients with adult T-cell leukemia died within 5 months on average after initial diagnosis; in contrast, three patients with normal karyotypes are still alive without having received any cancer chemotherapy at 12 to 21 months after diagnosis. The significance of the chromosome abnormality is discussed.