1 research outputs found
Molecular Characterization of Chromosome 7 in AML and MDS Patients
Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) share many features with acute myeloid
leukemias (AML) and in fact 20 - 40% of the patients eventually develop
a picture of full blown AML. Chromosome 7 has been a focus of attention
as a site harboring tumor suppressor genes whose loss of function
contributes to leukemia transformation or tumor progression.
Abnormalities of chromosome 7 are frequently encountered in AML and
MDS. The aim of the present study was to detect the molecular
abnormalities of chromosome 7 in Egyptian AML and MDS patients using
the FISH technique and whether the abnormality has an implication on
the prognosis of the disease after a period of one year follow up.
Fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) was performed for chromosome
7 using a locus specific probe for 7q31 and a centromeric probe from
7p11.1-q11.1 in a series of 30 patients diagnosed as: AML (20 patients)
and MDS (10 patients) according to the FAB criteria. Aberrations of
Chromosome 7 were found in 36.6% of AML patients: 3 cases showing
monosomy with a mean positivity of 17.3%, 2 cases showing 7q deletion
with a mean positivity of 11%. While both monosomy and deletion were
detected in 3 cases. However, in MDS patients; monosomy for chromosome
7 was the only abnormality detected and was found in 30% of cases.
Genetic abnormality of chromosome 7 showed a significant association
with poor prognostic criteria. Patients who had normal FISH results
showed a higher percentage (31.6%) of complete remission (CR) versus 0%
in patients with monosomy or deletion who showed a higher percentage
(100%) of death or poor response to therapy (NR). Although AML patients
had a worse prognosis when compared to MDS patients, patients with
genetic abnormalities showed the worst outcome