Population-based age-specific incidences of cytogenetic subgroups of acute myeloid leukemia.
OBJECTIVE
It is well known that the different cytogenetic subgroups of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) show different age-specific frequencies. For example, balanced translocations tend to be found in younger patients while complex aberrant karyotypes are usually found in elderly patients with AML. However, detailed data on the population-based age-dependent incidences of distinct cytogenetic subtypes as well as of molecular mutations are lacking.


METHODS
We evaluated the population-based age-specific incidences of different cytogenetic subgroups in 2555 patients with AML between 21 and 70 years of age. We also investigated the association of specific molecular markers (FLT3-M, FLT3- TKD, MLL-PTD, NRAS, CEPBA, KITD816).


RESULTS
The incidence of balanced translocations was rather constant over lifetime. In contrast, the incidence of unbalanced aberrations and especially complex aberrant karyotypes increased sharply with age. There were also different age-specific incidences of some recurrent molecular mutations.


CONCLUSIONS
These results are suggestive of different mechanisms in the pathogenesis of AML.
Bacher
Ulrike
U
Department for Internal Medicine III, Klinikum, Grosshadern, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany. ulrike.bacher@med.uni-muenchen.de
Kern
Wolfgang
W
Schnittger
Susanne
S
Hiddemann
Wolfgang
W
Haferlach
Torsten
T
Schoch
Claudia
C
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003582:Cytogenetics; D005260:Female; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000235:genetics; D005828:Genetics, Population; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014178:Translocation, Genetic / Q000235:genetics
D005819:Genetic Markers