Cytogenetic basis of acute myeloid leukemia

The chromosomes of 12 adult patients with acute leukemia were analyzed by conventional means and by Giemsa and centromeric banding techniques. Acute myeloblastic leukemia was diagnosed in 7, acute myelomonocytic leukemia in 2, and acute undifferentiated leukemia in 3. Bone marrow was aspirated from patients when in relapse or remission, and both euploid and aneuploid cells were examined. All patients showed trisomy no. 9 and many showed additional numerical or structural changes in some or all their cells. These changes included monosomy no. 21 and/or monosomy no. 8. The proportion of trisomy no. 9 cells was 30-50% in patients in full remission and up to 100% in patients in relapse; thus trisomy no. 9 might be an important marker of leukemic cells. A mechanism was proposed to explain the induction and selection of the trisomy no. 9 karotype.