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Prognostic significance of chromosome abnormalities in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia
Author(s) -
Pittman Sally,
Catovsky D.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2141.1984.tb06112.x
Subject(s) - chronic lymphocytic leukemia , medicine , philadelphia chromosome , chromosome , immunology , oncology , genetics , biology , leukemia , chromosomal translocation , gene
Summary Lymphocytes from 33 out of 63 patients with B‐cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B‐CLL) were successfully stimulated for cytogenetic analysis by means of two B‐cell mitogens: pokeweed mitogen and lipopolysaccharide‐B, used after pretreatment of the cells with neuraminidase and galactose oxidase. All patients had abnormal clones in 30‐100% of the cells analysed. Chromosomes more frequently involved were Nos. 1,3, 6,11,12,13 and 14. The most common abnormality was a marker 14q+ (breakpoint 14q32) seen in 17 cases; trisomy 12 was observed in seven cases. A clinical scoring system was used to investigate the correlation of chromosome abnormalities with prognosis. The group with 14q+ was often associated with features of progressive disease, namely; prolymphocytoid or Richter transformation, refractoriness to therapy, high WBC and advanced staging. A significant difference in survival was observed between patients with 14q+ and the rest: median survival from diagnosis being 45 months and over 64 months, respectively (P<0‐05); when survival was calculated from the time of chromosome analysis the values were 8 months and more than 41 months, respectively (P < 0 01). It is suggested that 14q + is acquired during the evolution of CLL and that this development may be a key event in the clinical progression of B‐CLL. Other abnormalities, including trisomy 12, were not found to be associated with a worse prognosis.