OBJECTIVETo analyze cytogenetic features of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) patients and explore the relationship between cytogenetic characteristics and prognosis.

METHODSClinical and laboratory data of 41 CMML patients were analyzed.

RESULTSThe majority of CMML patients were middle-aged males. According to WHO classification, 17 (41.5%) patients were diagnosed as CMML-Ⅰ and 24 (58.5%) were diagnosed as CMML-Ⅱ. 14 (34%) of CMML patients harbored abnormal karyotypes and +8 was the most common. CMML-Ⅰpatients with abnormal karyotypes were older than those with normal karyotypes. CMML-Ⅱ patients with normal karyotypes had higher lymphocyte counts than those with abnormal karyotypes. Of 29 patients who had follow-up data, 26 died, with the median survival time being 4 (1-13) months. The median survival of patients with normal and abnormal karyotypes were 4.5 and 3.8 months, respectively (P=0.408). The median survival of CMML-Ⅰ patients with abnormal karyotypes was shorter than those with normal karyotypes (3 and 17 months, P=0.015), but no significant difference was found between the median survival of the two groups of CMML-Ⅱ patients (2.9 and 5.8 months, P=0.629).

CONCLUSION+8 has been the most common abnormal karyotype in CMML patients. The abnormal karyotype can be regarded as an indicator of poor prognosis for CMML-Ⅰ patients. Regardless of their karyotypes, CMML-Ⅱ patients have even poorer prognosis.