[Cytogenetic abnormalities as prognostic factors in acute myeloid leukemia]

The study of chromosomal abnormalities in AML has become very important in the diagnosis and in the characterization of subtypes since they are related to defined clinical, morphological and immunological features as well as treatment outcome and survival.

To evaluate the relative importance of cytogenetic abnormalities may have in AML patients.

13 AML patients were studied during diagnosis. Cytogenetic study was performed on bone marrow aspirate material.

M1 and M2 FAB subtypes were the most frequent (61.6%). The patients' median age was 38 years. Cytogenetic analysis showed abnormal karyotype in 61.5% of the cases and 15.3% of whom had abnormalities considered as good prognosis [t(15;17) and t(8;21)]. At the evaluation day there were 3 patients alive, two in continuous complete remission and 1 in a second remission. The median total survival time was 7 months. Patients were divided into two groups: a "good prognosis" one, that joined 5 patients with normal karyotype and 2 with the translocations t(15;17) and t(8;21) and another, the "bad prognosis" one, with 8 patients with unfavorable chromosomal abnormalities. The good prognosis group had a median survival time of 9 months versus 6.2 months in the other, but this was not statistically significant (p = 0.18), probably owing to the small number of cases in the groups. But when one observes the cases separately see that patients with translocations (8;21) and (15;17), known as good prognosis, had longer survivals.

The different survival time between the two groups showed the importance of cytogenetic study to distinguish the patient who will have favorable evolution.