Clinical implications of chromosome abnormalities in acute non-lymphocytic leukemia: current status

Data currently available on banded chromosome studies on patients with ANLL suggest that the presence of a chromosome abnormality in such patients indicates a poor prognosis, and that different treatment strategies need to be developed for these patients. However, patients with at least one normal metaphase survive nearly as long as those with only normal metaphases. A specific chromosome abnormality in APL [t(15;17)], an unusual association of a translocation [t(8;21)] in association with loss of a sex chromosome, and a rare association of thrombocytosis and a chromosome insertion (3;3 ins), suggest that some chromosome changes in ANLL are specific.