Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 14, 2026
Chromosome Preparation From Cultured Cells
Published on: January 28, 2014
Prognostic cytogenetic markers in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: cases from Mansoura, Egypt
A Settin1, M Al Haggar, T Al Dosoky
1Genetic Unit, Mansoura University Children's Hospital, Egypt.
Insights
Cytogenetic analysis in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) can identify resistance to chemotherapy. Specific chromosomal aberrations are linked to treatment failure, aiding in therapy allocation.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Oncology
- Hematology
- Genetics
Background:
- Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a common childhood cancer.
- Treatment resistance remains a significant challenge in pediatric ALL management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) resistant to induction chemotherapy.
- To correlate resistance patterns with conventional and advanced cytogenetic findings.
Main Methods:
- Studied 63 children with ALL, including those achieving remission and those with treatment failure.
- Utilized complete blood count (CBC), bone marrow (BM) examination, karyotyping, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and flow cytometry.
Main Results:
- Certain clinical factors (age < 5, male sex, organomegaly) showed non-significant trends towards better remission.
- Specific chromosomal aberrations, including deletions (2p, 3q, 10p, 12q) and translocations (chromosome 5), were associated with treatment resistance.
- Hypodiploid and pseudodiploid karyotypes were frequent, with specific aberrations linked to poor outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Cytogenetic and molecular characterization of childhood ALL provides crucial prognostic information.
- These analyses can guide optimal therapy allocation for improved treatment outcomes.
Objective:
To evaluate children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) showing resistance to immediate induction chemotherapy in relation to conventional and advanced cytogenetic analysis.
Subjects And Methods:
This work was conducted on 63 ALL children (40 males and 23 females) with age range 4.5 months-16 years (mean = 7.76 years). They included 37 cases who attained true remission and 26 complicated by failure of remission, early relapse or death. They were subjected to history, clinical examination and investigations including CBC, BM examination, karyotyping, FISH for translocations and flow cytometry for immunophenotyping and minimal residual disease diagnosis.
Results:
Cases aged < 5 years; male sex with organomegaly had better remission although statistically insignificant. Initially low Hb < 8 gm/dl, high WBCs and platelet counts > 50,000/mm(3) also showed better but non-significant remission rates. Most of our cases were L(2) with better remission compared to other immunophenotypes. Forty informative karyotypes were subdivided into 15 hypodiploid, 10 pseudodiploid, 8 normal diploid and 7 hyperdiploid cases; the best remission rates were noticed among the most frequent ploidy patterns. Chromosomes 9, 11 and 22 were the most frequently involved by structural aberrations followed by chromosomes 5, 12 and 17. Resistance was noted with aberrations not encountered among remission group; deletions involving chromosomes 2p, 3q, 10p and 12q; translocations involving chromosome 5; trisomies of chromosomes 16 and 21; monosomies of 5 and X and inversions of 5 and 11.
Conclusions:
Cytogenetic and molecular characterizations of childhood ALL may add prognostic criteria for optimal therapy allocation.
