[Significance of the 14q32 translocations in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia]

To assess the frequency and significance of 14q32 translocation abnormalities in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and the differences between the clinical and cytogenetic features of patients with the 8; 14 translocation and those of patients with other 14q32 translocations, we analyzed our experience with 124 consecutive cases with completely banded karyotype. Eight cases (6.5%) with 14q32 translocation were identified :5 with the 8; 14 translocation and 3 with other 14q32 translocations. As compared with ALL children lacking 14q32 translocations, these 8 cases had a higher serum lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) level, more L3 (FAB classification), and a poorer outcome. On the other hand, in comparison with ALL patients with other 14q32 translocations, patients with the 8:14 translocation were likely to be younger (median age 4.5 years vs 10.4 years), to have a higher serum LDH level (median 5832 IU/l vs 504 IU/l), to have more L3 (3/5 vs 0/3), to have a higher induction failure rate (4/5 vs 1/3), and to have more partial duplication of the long arm of chromosome 1 (4/5 vs 0/3). These results helped clarify the characteristic features of ALL children with 14q32 translocations and showed that ALL children with the 8 ; 14 translocation have different clinical and cytogenetic findings from those of ALL children with other 14q32 translocations.