Cytogenetics of acute and chronic myelofibrosis

In myelofibrosis, acute or chronic, as well as in other myeloproliferative disorders which carry an increased risk of developing leukemia, a clone of hemic cells with a chromosome abnormality is a relatively common occurrence. To date, however, the presence or absence of a cytogenetic alteration has not been of prognostic value with respect to subsequent clinical course. No particular karyotypic change is specific for myelofibrosis, but many of the same non-random abnormalities occur as in other leukemic and preleukemic states. Both cytogenetic and isoenzyme data indicate that the fibrous tissue in the marrow is not part of the myeloproliferative clone.