[Clinical study of 572 adult acute leukemia patients in Shanghai according to WHO classification].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate WHO classification of acute leukemia (AL) in Shanghai and compare the difference between WHO and FAB classification.


METHODS
Successive and unselected leukemia patients were referred to Sino-US Leukemia Cooperative Group of Shanghai from 2003 to 2006. A total of 572 adult AL cases were diagnosed and classified according to WHO and FAB classification.


RESULTS
Of the 572 AL patients, 436 (76.2%) were diagnosed as acute myeloid leukemia (AML), 119 (20.8%) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The AML and ALL percentage ratio was 3.66: 1. AML with recurrent cytogenetic abnormalities accounted for 35.3%, and with multilineage dysplasia for 13.1%, therapy-related AML accounted for 0.9%, and AML not otherwise categorized for 50.7%. The percentage of therapy-related AML in Shanghai was lower than that in the Western. B-ALL was the majority (84.9%) in ALL. According to FAB classification, AML-M4 was the most (38.5%) common subtype. The percentage of AML-M3 and M4 in Shanghai were higher than that in the Western, but that of AML-M, was lower. The incidence of karyotypic abnormalities in AML was 60.8%. The incidence of AML with t (15;17) was higher than that in the Western. Favorable cytogenetic risk group accounted for 30.6%, intermediate group for 51.5%, unfavorable group for 17.9% of AML. B-ALL with t (9;22) was 33.7%.


CONCLUSIONS
The percentages of AML with t (15;17) and AML-M4 in Shanghai and the incidence of cytogenetic favorable group were higher than that in the Western. It was different in WHO classification and karyotypic abnormalities of AML between Shanghai and the Western. Comparing to the AL data of Shanghai Leukemia Group between 1984 and 1994, the percentage of AML-M4 was increased, but that of AML-M1 and M5 were decreased.
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007621:Karyotyping; D007938:Leukemia / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged