CYTOGENETIC ANALYSIS IN SLOVENIAN ACUTE LEUKEMIA PATIENTS

• Main Authors: Helena Podgornik, Alenka Prijatelj, Peter Černeič
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Slovenian Medical Association 2008-04-01
• Series: Zdravniški Vestnik
• Online Access: http://vestnik.szd.si/index.php/ZdravVest/article/view/881

BACKGROUND Modern therapeutic concepts in acute leukemia are based on individual risk stratificationat diagnosis and during follow-up. Cytogenetics plays a central role for classification andfor prognostication in acute myeloid (AML) and considering t(9;22) determination also inacute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). This method also helps to determine a suitable geneticmarker for later monitoring of minimal residual disease (MRD). Results of standard cytogenetics obtained in our laboratory were analyzed and compared with literature data. METHODS During the last two years cytogenetic analysis was done in 120 adults and children whowere diagnosed with acute leukemia. Bone marrow cells were short-time cultivated to obtain metaphases which were analyzed after G-banding (Giemsa-trypsin). In majority of cases fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) was also applied to determine or confirm thesuspected chromosomal aberrations. RESULTS The standard cytogenetics was successful in 90 % of samples. In 70 % of AL patients clonalchromosomal changes were found. Recurrent chromosomal aberrations were determinedwith expected frequency as previously published for other populations. Also the frequencies of patients with a normal karyotype and complex chromosomal changes were in theexpected range. CONCLUSIONS Using molecular cytogenetic and genetic methods a possibility that some of chromosomalchanges were overlooked was considerably minimized. On the basis of the analyzed datawe can be confident that the cytogenetic diagnostic approach in our acute leukemia patients is in accordance with international guidelines