OBJECTIVETo explore the prognostic significance of monosomal karyotype (MK) in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

METHODSThe clinical data of 498 AML patients were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTSOf the 498 patients, 233 (46.8%) cases had an abnormal karyotype. 42 patients fulfilled the criteria for MK, which were 8.4% of all cases and 18.0% of patients with abnormal karyotype, respectively. The most frequent autosomal monosomies were -7 and -17. 70 patients had complex karyotype (CK), in all patients and patients with abnormal karyotype accounted for 14.1% and 30.0%, respectively. Patients with MK were associated with significantly older (median age 62.5 vs 52 years, P=0.003), and lower HGB concentrations (62.5 vs 77 g/L, P=0.009) and lower WBC counts (7.0×10⁹/L vs 11.7×10⁹/L, P=0.008). Among MK cases, the most frequent chromosome abnormalities were complex karyotype, -7, -5, 7q-, and 5q-. In univariate analysis, MK patients had worse survival than those without MK (7.3 months vs 26.3 months, P<0.001). CK patients also had poorer outcomes than patients without CK (14.8 months vs 26.3 months, P<0.001). In CK patients, survival was worse in MK patients than patients without MK (7.4 months vs 19.2 months, P=0.007). By COX analysis, MK was an independent prognostic factor, beyond NCCN criteria and CK [HR=2.610 (1.632-4.175), P<0.001].

CONCLUSIONMK was an independent adverse prognostic factor in AML patients.