Chromosome abnormalities in B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia and their clinical correlations

Cytogenetic analysis was successfully performed on 31 of 40 patients with chronic B cell leukemia. Clonal abnormalities were seen in 16 patients using various culture methods. Fourteen of these had unstimulated cultures established of which 13 had the clonal abnormality. Trisomy 12 was observed in seven patients while a 14q32 translocation was present in four. Race, age, hemoglobin, WBC, percentage of lymphocytes and prolymphocytes in BM and PB, platelets, Smig, lymph node, spleen, liver, pattern of bone marrow infiltration, therapy free interval, and overall survival were all compared. Significant correlations between the presence of clonal abnormalities and prior therapy (p less than 0.005) and an increase in prolymphocytes in bone marrow (p = 0.05) and/or peripheral blood (p = 0.0014) were observed.