Biology and Treatment of High-Risk CLL: Significance of Complex Karyotype

Thomas Chatzikonstantinou; Christos Demosthenous; Panagiotis Baliakas

doi:10.3389/fonc.2021.788761

Biology and Treatment of High-Risk CLL: Significance of Complex Karyotype

Front Oncol. 2021 Nov 29:11:788761. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2021.788761. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Thomas Chatzikonstantinou¹, Christos Demosthenous¹, Panagiotis Baliakas^{2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Hematology Department-Bone Marrow Transplantation (BMT) Unit, G. Papanicolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
² Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
³ Department of Clinical Genetics, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.

Abstract

Several reports highlight the clinical significance of cytogenetic complexity, namely, complex karyotype (CK) identified though the performance of chromosome banding analysis (CBA) in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Indeed, apart from a number of studies underscoring the prognostic and predictive value of CK in the chemo(immune)therapy era, mounting evidence suggests that CK could serve as an independent prognosticator and predictor even in patients treated with novel agents. In the present review, we provide an overview of the current knowledge regarding the clinical impact of CK in CLL, touching upon open issues related to the incorporation of CK in the clinical setting.

Keywords: CLL (chronic lymphocytic leukemia); complex karyotype (CK); cytogenetic complexity; high-risk; prediction; prognosis.

Publication types

Review