Clinical implication of chromosomal aberrations in chronic B-lymphocytic leukaemia cells

Chromosome analysis was made on mitogen-activated leukemic cells from 99 patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. Fifty-three patients had clonal chromosome aberrations. Nine patients had trisomy 12 as the sole abnormality, 15 had trisomy, 12 together with other chromosomal aberrations, and 29 had other clonal abnormalities. Four patients had t(11;14), whereas 6 had 14q+ and five 11q- as the result of other translocations than t(11;14). Structural aberrations involving chromosomes 6, 12, and 13 were involved in 7, 4, and 5 patients, respectively. Patients with clonal aberrations had poor survival compared to those with normal karyotype, and patients with single trisomy 12 had poor survival as compared to patients with other single aberrations.