title: Myeloid disorders with deletion of 5q as the sole karyotypic abnormality: the clinical and pathologic spectrum.
abstract: The 5q-syndrome has been recognized as a distinct subtype of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) with characteristic clinical and pathologic features. Nevertheless, the definition of this syndrome is imprecise. To better understand how the 5q-syndrome is related to other "5q- only" myeloid disorders, we searched our conventional cytogenetics file for cases with 5q- as the sole karyotypic abnormality. 31 cases of "5q- only" myeloid disorders were found, and they were refractory anemia (n = 16), refractory anemia with excess blasts (RAEB) (n = 5), RAEB in transformation (n = 1), chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (n = 1) and acute myeloid leukemia (n = 8). They included 15 men and 16 women, with a median age of 67 years (range, 40-84 years). The marrow blast count was < or = 11% in 22 cases and > or = 25% in the remaining nine cases. The following morphologic features were common in the marrow: megakaryocytic hypolobation (30/31, 97%), erythroid hypoplasia (26/31, 84%), basophilia (19/31, 62%) and eosinophilia (16/31, 52%). Of those with < or = 11% blasts, 7/22 cases met the criteria of the 5q-syndrome, as defined by high mean corpuscle volume (MCV), normal/high platelet counts, and megakaryocytic hypolobation. Except for the two defining parameters for the 5q-syndrome (MCV and platelet count), there was no significant difference in hematologic parameters between the 5q-syndrome and other cases with < or = 11% blasts. Furthermore, no significant difference in the chromosomal breakpoints or survival was found between these two groups. We conclude that "5q- only" MDS show consistent morphologic features, suggesting a common pathogenesis related to their similar cytogenetic abnormality. In "5q- only" MDS with < or = 11% marrow blasts, strict application of the conventional criteria of the 5q-syndrome may not be necessary in predicting the overall prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematopathology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, USA.
authors.forename: LaBaron T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Washington
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Doherty
authors.forename: Armand
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Glassman
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Sherif
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.forename: Raymond
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000754:Anemia, Refractory, with Excess of Blasts / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D002872:Chromosome Deletion; D002895:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 5; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis