title: Cytogenetic aberrations in adult acute lymphocytic leukemia: optimal technique may influence the results.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to analyse the distribution of cytogenetic aberrations in adult ALL in a population based material and compare the results with literature data. Forty-one patients were diagnosed during a 12-year period. The age varied between 14 and 82 (mean 37, median 32). Thirty-two patients were cytogenetically investigated and in all cases analysable metaphases were obtained (range 10-29, mean 24, median 25, success rate: 100%). Nine (28%) patients had a T-phenotype and 23 (72%) had a pre-B phenotype. High hyperdiploidy was found in four patients (13%). Hypodiploidy was found in 5 patients (16%), 10 (31%) had a pseudodiploid chromosome mode and four (13%) showed low hyperdiploidy (chromosome mode 47-51). Chromosomes 10 and 18 were most frequently involved in numerical aberrations. Structural aberrations most frequently involved chromosomes 6, 9 and 22. t(9;22) was seen in six cases (19%), del(6q) in five cases (16%) and der(9p) in five cases (16%). High hyperdiploid clones, which are associated with a favorable prognosis, were found with the same frequency as in other studies. The frequency of t(9;22) was 19% in our study, others have found frequencies between 11% and 30%. Compared to previously published studies our patients with t(9;22) were younger. Furthermore, those with del(6q) were older, showing a median age equivalent to the patient group as a whole. The differences between our data and previously published studies may be explained by population-based derived data and especially by an optimal technique in obtaining metaphases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology-Chromosome Laboratory, Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense C, Denmark. rkp@dadlnet.dk
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Kerndrup
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Sørensen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mourits-Andersen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gram-Hansen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pulczynski
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Schmidt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations / Q000235:genetics*; D002879:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 10; D002887:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18; D002892:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 22 / Q000235:genetics; D002896:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 6 / Q000235:genetics; D002899:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 9 / Q000235:genetics; D020732:Cytogenetic Analysis; D004171:Diploidy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000235:genetics*