Survival of patients with t(1;7)(p11;p11). Report of two cases and review of the literature.

t(1;7)(p11;p11) is a relatively rare chromosome aberration, in most cases associated with acute myeloid leukemia or myelodysplasia. Earlier, many patients received chemotherapy for a malignant disease. The prognosis is usually poor. I describe two patients and review the literature. Thirty-six of the 73 had a history of previous exposure to chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Alkylating agents had been used in 29. The median survival after observation of the translocation was only 11 months, a much shorter survival time than is common for patients with secondary hematologic disorders. Sex, diagnosis, hemoglobin concentration, and percentage of metaphases containing t(1;7) were independent prognostic factors. Despite its relation to earlier chemotherapy, the chromosome aberrations associated with t(1;7) lack the cytogenetic features characteristic of therapy-induced disorders.