Phenomenon of the evolution of clonal chromosomal abnormalities in childhood acute myeloid leukemia

Analysis of chromosomal abnormalities in bone marrow cells in 116 children with diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) was performed. Frequency of evolution of clonal chromosome abnormalities in AML constituted 42,3 %. The most abundant among them were numerical abnormalities of chromosomes 8, 9, and 21 as well as secondary structural abnormalities in region 12p12, 9p22, 9q22, 9q34, 11q14–23, and 16q22. Numerical abnormalities were registered in 26,7 % cases. The basic mechanism of leukemic clone evolution was trisomy, deletion and monosomy. The frequency of evolution was 7 times higher in the age group up to 2 years and twice higher in the age group up to 5 years. The high frequency of evolution was established at t(15;17)(q22;q22) and the absence at inv(16)(p13q22). The patients with clonal evolution died earlier, before reaching remission, that can be connected with heavy initial state and high frequency of relapse. Conception of abnormality clone evolution was proposed at some stages: I – appearance of balanced rearrangement; II – trisomy; III – lose of chromosomal material. Appearance of unbalanced genome in evolution possess an advantage in proliferate activity and can be connected with the answer on chemotherapy. Identity of abnormal chromosome structure at diagnosis and relapse of disease can be an evidence of the influence of chemical agent on establishment of some types of evolution of chromosome abnormalities in leukemic cells in AML in children.

Keywords: chromosomal abnormalities, clone evolution, acute myeloid leukemia, children