[Cytogenetic studies as a contribution to the diagnosis of juvenile preleukemia and leukemia recurrence]

Hematologic changes in panmyelopathia are characterized by a wide-spreading spectrum of symptoms and a rare specifity. Therefore cytological and cytochemical findings do not allow a significant prognosis for the malignant or benign development of panmyelopathia. Cytogenetic experiments showed only the Philadelphia chromosome being of diagnostic value. MEISNER and co-workers, who studied adults with panmyelopathia and proven myelocytic leukemia and 5 children with acute lymphocytic leukemia, found that significant and persistent spontaneous division in unstimulated 24 hr. peripheral blood cultures is an indication of a malignant state. The present work shows that in two of five children with panmyelopathia and with significant spontaneous division chronic myelocytic leukemia developed or was in the very initial state; a third child with spontaneous division is still under control. In contrast to literature only one of 14 children with ALL had significant spontaneous cell division. Therefore the method applied must be checked for its usefulness in ALL and especially for its usefulness in early recognition of a relapse.