[Chromosomes, morphologic subtypes and their prognostic evaluation in acute non-lymphocytic leukemia]

Cytogenetic and morphological analyses were performed on 55 adult patients (34 males, 21 females) with acute non-lymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) diagnosed between 1986 and 1992, and the results were studied with regard to therapeutic response and prognosis. Eleven patients had M1 (20%), 14 had M2 (25.5%), 14 had M3 (25.5%), 7 had M4 (12.7%), 3 had M5 (5.5%), 5 had M6 (9.1%) and one had M7 (1.8%). The overall incidence of chromosomal abnormalities were 65.5% including 10 cases (18.2%) with t (8;21), 12 (21.8%) with t (15;17), 5 (9.1%) with pseudodiploid, 3 (5.5%) with hyperdiploid, 2 (3.6%) with hypodiploid and 4 (7.3%) with abnormalities of 5 or 7 chromosomes. Outcomes were analyzed in 45 patients. 36 patients (80%) achieved complete remission (CR). All 12 patients with M2 entered CR, and they showed a significantly longer median survival than M1. The median survival of 10 patients with t (8;21) was significantly longer than that of patients with t (15;17). However, therapeutic response and prognosis did not correlate with either chromosomal status (NN, AN, or AA) or with age-groups (> or = 60, < 60). These results confirmed that morphological subtypes and certain types of chromosomal abnormality are important variables in determining the prognosis of adult patients with ANLL.