OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between cytogenetic markers with World Health Organization (WHO) classification, disease progress and prognosis in cases with primary myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).

METHODS298 patients with de novo MDS from the first affiliated hospital of medical school, Zhejiang University were enrolled in the retrospective analysis of WHO classification, karyotype, and prognosis. Follow-up study was also conducted.

RESULTSThe WHO classifications at first diagnosis were as follows: refractory cytopenia with unilineage dysplasia (RCUD), 18 cases; refractory anemia with ring sideroblasts (RARS), 8 cases; refractory cytopenia with multiline dysplasia (RCMD), 104 cases; refractory anemia with excess blasts-1, 76 cases; refractory anemia with excess blasts-2, 85 cases; MDS unclassified (MDS-U), 5 cases involved; and single del (5q), 2 cases. 39.6% of MDS patients carried karyotypic abnormalities. Among them, the frequency of numerical abnormalities, structural abnormalities and the existence of composite abnormalities were 45, 31, and 42, respectively. The composite abnormalities were unbalanced translocations and complex chromosomal abnormalities. The incidence of both karyotypic abnormalities and complex chromosomal abnormalities in RAEB group was higher than that in non-RAEB group (P<0. 05). An analysis based on IPSS-R Scoring System showed that advanced risk stratification (except the low-risk group) gradually enhanced the incidence of karyotypic abnormalities (P<0.05). In addition, the probability of evolution to leukemia increased with the higher IPSS-R score (P<0.05). In RAEB group, the cases with +8 chromosome, accounting for 19.5% of karyotypic abnormalities, had worse prognosis than those with normal chromosomes.

CONCLUSIONKaryotype was identified with an independent risk factor in MDS patients. Therefore, the information on cytogenetic analysis was critical for diagnosis, prognosis and individual treatment. MDS patients presenting+8 chromosome, an intermediate risk factor, were associated with a poorer outcome compared to cases with normal chromosomes in RAEB group.