Premium
Comparison of acute myeloid leukemia occurring de novo or preceded by a myelodysplastic stage: Differences in cellular DNA content
Author(s) -
Widell S.,
Auer G.,
Hast R.,
Reizenstein P.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
american journal of hematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.456
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1096-8652
pISSN - 0361-8609
DOI - 10.1002/ajh.2830420309
Subject(s) - promyelocyte , bone marrow , myelodysplastic syndromes , myeloid , myeloid leukemia , leukemia , medicine , immunology , acute leukemia , population , granulocyte , cancer research , environmental health
The DNA content of bone marrow cells in patients with acute leukemia preceded by a myelodysplastic stage (MDS‐AML) was compared to that in patients with de novo AML. We studied granulocytes, lymphocytes, monocytes, and blasts/promyelocytes from Feul‐gen‐stained bone marrow smears of 11 patients with de novo AML, ten patients with MDS‐AML, and 13 apparently healthy controls. The mean amount of DNA per cell (DNA index; Dl) in each cell population was determined using a digital video‐based imageanalyzing system (CAS‐100). Analysis of variance (F test) showed a significant difference in the DNA content between de novo AML on one hand and MDS‐AML and controls on the other as regards to blasts/promyelocytes ( P < 0.01), lymphocytes ( P < 0.05), and monocytes ( P < 0.01), respectively. In three of 11 (27%) patients with de novo AML, a lower than normal limit Dl was found both in immature and mature bone marrow cells. Patients with MDS‐AML had those of Dl values similar to normal controls. In consequence, a significantly reduced mean Dl was found in patients with de novo AML in blasts/promyelocytes ( P < 0.01), and monocytes ( P < 0.05) compared to both normal controls and MDS‐AML. Together with data published separately, suggesting differences in granulocyte morphology, clonality, and HLA‐DR expression, these data suggest biological differences between the two diseases. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.