title: Significance of Ph1-negative marrow cells in Ph1-positive chronic granulocytic leukemia.
abstract: Fifty-six of 195 Ph1-positive patients with chronic granulocytic leukemia were found to have Ph1-negative metaphases in marrow aspirates on one or more occasions. In 22 cases, Ph1-negative cells were found prior to initiation of antileukemic therapy. Five patients were in the blastic stage of the disease when Ph1-negative mitoses were seen. The finding of Ph1-negative cells appeared to be related principally to short duration of CGL and to administration of antileukemic therapy (conventional agents and doses, in most cases). Ph1-negative cells were usually not found more than 2 yr after the diagnosis of leukemia, but in a few cases, they were seen as long as 5-10 yr after diagnosis. Only a minority of metaphases analyzed were Ph1-negative, except in the case of 6 patients who transiently had 50% or more Ph1-negative cells after antileukemic therapy. The presence of Ph1-negative cells in marrow was not associated with any survival advantage in this series.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D002648:Child; D002904:Chromosomes, Human, 21-22 and Y; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008677:Metaphase; D008875:Middle Aged