Translocations and deletions with breakpoint on 21q are nonrandomly associated with treatment-related acute nonlymphocytic leukemia and preleukemia.
Six of 70 (8.6%) consecutive cases with therapy-related acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) or preleukemia had a translocation or deletion with a breakpoint on 21q. Such aberrations were seen in only one of 200 (0.5%) consecutive cases of de novo ANLL examined at our laboratory. The figures reflect a 17.1-fold increased incidence of 21q aberrations in therapy-related ANLL or preleukemia, compared with ANLL de novo. The difference is highly significant (p = 0.003). The increased incidence of 21q aberrations in therapy-related myelodysplastic syndromes was confirmed by literature studies. Band 21q22 was most often involved. Cases with t(8;21), which is strongly associated with the M2 variant of ANLL, or cases with i(21q), which is supposedly due to a centromeric misdivision, were not included in the count. It is concluded that the 21q aberrations are associated with treatment-related ANLL or preleukemia with at least the same degree of specificity as aberrations of #5 and #7.
Keldsen
N
N
Department of Internal Medicine A, Finsen Institute, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Philip
P
P
Pedersen-Bjergaard
J
J
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002871:Chromosome Banding; D002872:Chromosome Deletion / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D002891:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 21; D005260:Female; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006801:Humans; D007621:Karyotyping; D007938:Leukemia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000235:genetics*; D007953:Leukemia, Radiation-Induced / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011289:Preleukemia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000235:genetics*; D014178:Translocation, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects
D005819:Genetic Markers