Chromosomes and causation of human cancer and leukemia XXXV. The missing Y in acute non-lymphocytic leukemia (ANLL)

Abstract

The bone marrow chromosomes in six ANLL patients with a missing Y were examined. In all of six cases, the missing Y was the only chromosomal abnormality at diagnosis, and it persisted through their clinical courses. One patient had a shift from the 45, X to a 47, XX, + 5, 13q+ karyotype in the terminal phase of the disease. The findings indicate that the 45, X cells were not involved in further karyotypic progression, and that the leukemic process usually seemed to involve the 46, XY cells rather than the 45, X cells. Based on the data of the current study and that in the literature, it appears that the presence of missing Y in ANLL may afford a rather benign clinical course to such patients when compared to that of the ANLL patients without a missing Y. It is suggested that the age of the patients, karyotypic differences and degree of a missing Y in the marrow cells may affect the clinical course of ANLL.