Karyotypes were analyzed by Giemsa and Quinacrine banding for 45 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) (25 cases), acute undifferentiated leukemia (AUL) (4 cases), malignant lymphoma (6 cases), and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) (10 cases).
Six infant cases of t(4; 11) acute leukemia had very poor prognosis and its' monocytic nature was clarified though it had been reported as ALL.
The karyotype of ALL in adolescence was very unstable and most of the cases showed hypodiploid. They were considered to be originated from more immature lymqhoid cells than common ALL (cALL) and their prognosis was also poor.
Seven cases out of 9 unsuccessful cases were cALL patients who were maintaining complete remission and thought to have a favorable prognosis in general. Although 3 hyperdiploid patients had relatively early relapse, they showed good response for drugs and total time course was 2∼3 years. Because there was no difference between the hyperdiploid and cALL group on the clinical feature, cell morphology, and surface phenotype, it will be useful to analyze the karyotype for their treatment.
Two patients out of 10 AML were AML (M2) and one had t(8; 21). 1.5-year-old patient with 21 trisomy classified as M1, had transient leukemoid reaction in infancy. Two juvenile chronic myeloid leukemia patients had a normal karyotype.
