Spontaneous hematological remission in a boy with myelodysplastic syndrome and monosomy 7

We report the case of a 14-month-old boy with myelodysplastic syndrome (refractory anemia with blast excess) and bone marrow monosomy 7. Within 2 years after presentation hematological remission gradually occurred without any chemotherapy. After the patient had received three transfusions within the first 4 months, red cell production normalized. However it took 18 more months for neutropenia to resolve. The patient is well 34 months after the first presentation. Molecular analysis of the bone marrow blasts showed no mutations of the ras genes or of the FLR-exon of the NF-1 gene. To our knowledge this is the first report of monosomy 7 syndrome with spontaneous hematological remission.