Objective: To investigate the cytogenetic features of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with t(8;21).
Methods: The clinical characteristics of 154 cases of acute myeloid leukemia with t(8;21) in our hospital were analyzed retrospectively. According to the chromosome karyotype, all cases were divided into three groups: the group without additional chromosome abnormality, the group with single sex chromosome loss and the group with additional chromosome abnormalities other than sex chromosome loss.
Result: In this study, according to FAB classification, there were 127 cases of M2 (82.5%), 15 of M5 (9.7%), 6 of M4 (3.9%), 4 of M1(2.6%) and 2 of M0(1.3%). Cytogenetically, 85 (55.2%) AML patients with t(8;21) had additional chromosome abnormalities. The most common abnormalities were sex chromosome loss, of which -Y was detected in 44.1% of the male karyotype and X in 27.9%. Beside that, there were 9 cases of 9q- (5.8%), 5 of +8(3.3%),3 of +4(2.0%) and 17 of other chromosome anomalies (11.4%). In the group of t(8;21) with additional chromosome abnormalities, 11 cases (35.5%) were non-M2 AML, higher than that in single t(8;21) group (17.4%)(P<0.05); however, there was no significant difference between the group of single t(8;21) and the group of t(8;21) with single sex chromosome loss(P>0.05).
Conclusion: t(8;21) translocation is usually accompanied by additional chromosome abnormalities, particularly in M2; while t(8;21) with additional chromosome abnormalities other than sex chromosome loss is more frequently observed in non-M2 AML.