A rare case of chronic myeloid leukemia with secondary chromosomal changes including partial trisomy 17q21 to 17qter and partial monosomy of 16p13.3

• Main Authors: Mkrtchyan Hasmik, Wafa Abdulsamad, Al Achkar Walid, Moassass Faten, Liehr Thomas
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2010-03-01
• Series: Molecular Cytogenetics
• Online Access: http://www.molecularcytogenetics.org/content/3/1/6

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The so-called Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome is present in almost all cases with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Around 5-10% of these patients show complex translocations involving other chromosomes in addition to and/or besides chromosomes 9 and 22. As nowadays most CML cases are treated with Imatinib, variant rearrangements have in general no specific prognostic significance, though events of therapy resistance remain to be studied.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here we report a Ph chromosome positive patient with hematological typical chronic phase CML. Untypically, an unbalanced complex rearrangement involving chromosomes 16 and 17 leading to a deletion of 16pter and partial trisomy of 17q21 to 17qter, was identified besides a trisomy 8 and an additional Ph chromosome in a part of malignant cells.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Here a novel and cytogenetically unique case of a Ph chromosome positive CML clinically in chronic phase is reported, having complex secondary chromosomal aberrations. Thus, CML patients with complex chromosomal changes are nonetheless treatable by Imatinib.</p>