Correlation of chromosome abnormalities with patient characteristics, histologic subtype, and induction success in children with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia.

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Abstract
Cytogenetic analyses of bone marrow cells were performed in 195 children with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) at diagnosis, as part of Childrens Cancer Study Group Study No 251. Ninety-six patients (49%) exhibited clonal abnormalities, including trisomy 8 in 18 patients, t(8;21) in 11, t(15;17) in 7, loss of a sex chromosome in 7, monosomy 7 in 7, and the Philadelphia chromosome in 4. Clonal abnormalities were found significantly more often in younger patients. Recurring cytogenetic abnormalities tended to correlate with specific ages; e.g., (8;21) was associated significantly with children > 4 yr old, while -7 associated with overall loss of genetic material from the long arm of chromosome 7 (7q) and 11q- were associated significantly with younger children. Recurring chromosome abnormalities also correlated with specific ANLL histologic subtypes, such as t(8;21) with acute myelogenous leukemia and t(15;17) with acute promyelocytic leukemia. Presence or absence of cytogenetic abnormalities was compared with the ability of patients to achieve remission. Individuals exhibiting clonal abnormalities in bone marrow cells had an equally likely chance of achieving remission (74%) as those individuals with normal karyotypes (75%). Nonrandom chromosome abnormalities associated with a high induction success rate included +8 with a 94% induction success rate (P < 0.13) and t(8;21) with a 91% success rate (P = 0.46). Patients exhibiting the -7 abnormality associated with overall loss of 7q had a significantly less successful induction outcome, with only 28% achieving remission (P = 0.02); 3 of 7 patients with t(15;17) died during induction therapy.

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