Chromosomal study for prognostic grouping in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

OBJECTIVE To determine the frequency of various cytogenetic aberrations in newly diagnosed chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients, and their detection rate by cytogenetic and fluorescent In situ hybridization (FISH) technique separately. STUDY DESIGN A case series. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY Clinical and Molecular Cytogenetics Laboratories, University of California, Los Angeles, USA, from November 2007 to July 2008. METHODOLOGY Analysis was made on 100 diagnosed chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients. Cytogenetics and FISH technique were performed on blood or bone marrow samples. RESULTS Nineteen out of 100 cases (19%) showed karyotype abnormalities; whereas 55 showed abnormalities using the CLL-specific FISH probes. The most frequent abnormality detected by standard cytogenetics was trisomy 12. The most common abnormality detected by FISH was a deletion of 13q14 (40 out of 55 cases; 72% of the abnormal). CONCLUSION For prognostic grouping of CLL patients, FISH must always be requested which may even replace standard karyotyping. These chromosomal markers help in choosing the therapeutic options.