[Cytogenetics and acute non-lymphoblastic leukemias. Value of short-term cultures]

Normal and abnormal results of chromosome studies performed on 101 acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia (ANLL) patients were compared according to the bone marrow and/or blood cell culture times. A higher proportion of abnormal karyotypes was observed after culture than on direct preparations in acute promyelocytic leukemia and in acute myeloblastic leukemia with t(8-21) translocation; in some cases the chromosome abnormality seen after culture was not detected with the direct technique. No clear-cut differences in chromosome studies resulted when the differing techniques were applied to other forms of ANLL. In contrast the classification of individual patients into AA and AN categories differed in some cases when determined by direct or culture techniques. These results have to be taken into consideration in the study of relationships between chromosome anomalies and prognosis.