Cytogenetic analysis and clinical significance of chromosome 7 aberrations in acute leukaemia

The analysis was performed on bone marrow cells derived from 96 patients with acute leukaemia (AL): 76 with acute myelogenous leukaemia (AML) and 20 with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). Aberrations of chromosome 7 were revealed in 20 (21%) of 96 analysed cases: in 14 (18%) with AML and in six (30%) with ALL. Structural aberrations, present in 13 patients (eight with AML and five with ALL), were unbalanced and led to partial monosomy (12 cases) or trisomy (four cases) of chromosome 7. Twelve (86%) out of 14 AML and all the ALL patients with chromosome 7 aberrations had complex karyotypes in their bone marrow cells. Monosomy 7 and 7q losses were frequently observed in the AML group, whereas, in the ALL group, gains in 7q and losses in the short arms constituted most chromosome 7 aberrations. The occurrence of monosomy, or of losses in 7q, results in a worse response to induction therapy in AML patients. The complete remission (CR) rate was significantly lower in this group in comparison to the group of AML patients with a normal karyotype (p = 0.01) in bone marrow cells.