Objective To investigate molecular cytogenetic abnormalities in chronic lymphocytic leukemia and clinic prognostic significance. Methods Conventional cytogenetics (CC) examination was performed in 17 cases with CLL by I-FISH with five probes [DI3S25(13q14.3), ATM(11q22.3), RB1(13q14), p53(17p13.1) and CSP12(12p11.1-12q11.1)]to detect molecular cytogenetic abnormalities in CLL. Results Among 17 cases of CLL, by CC examination, only 18.75 % patient were found to have chromosomal abnormalities;whereas on I-FISH, 70.6 % patient were found to have molecular cytogenetic abnormalities including 13q-(47.1%) del(RB1) (23.5 %), del(13q13.4)(29.4 %), trisomy 12 (29.4%), del(17p13.1)(11.8 %), del (ATM)(5.6 %), the frequency of complex abnormalities were 11.8 %. No correlation of molecular cytogenetic abnormalities with sex, age, Binet stage, LDH and β_2-MG were found. Conclusion I-FISH is a more rapid, accurate and sensitive technique for detection of molecular cytogenetic abnormalities in CLL than CC, There was no statistically significant difference between molecular cytogenetic abnormalities and clinic characteristics, but its prognostic significance in CLL needs to be further investigated.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the p53 deletion in leukemia patients with complex chromosomal abnormalities (CCA) and the clinical significance.

METHODSThe p53 deletion status of 38 leukemia cases with CCA and 24 cases without CCA were analyzed by interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (I-FISH).

RESULTSThe frequency of p53 deletion in the 38 patients with CCA (44.74%) was significantly higher than that in the 24 cases without CCA (4.16%) (P<0.01). The rate of complete remission in 13 cases of acute leukemia with CCA was 15.4%, with median survival time (MST) of 105 days.

CONCLUSIONI-FISH is a rapid, accurate and sensitive technique for detection of p53 deletion, patients with CCA have a higher p53 deletion and a lower complete remission rate and MST.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Cells, Cultured ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Female ; Gene Deletion ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Leukemia ; diagnosis ; genetics ; mortality ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Survival Analysis ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Young Adult