Prognostic significance of single chromosome abnormalities in preleukemic states.

Clinical outcome was evaluated in 43 patients with a myelodysplastic syndrome or myeloproliferative disorder and a bone marrow clone containing a single chromosome abnormality: monosomy 7/del(7q), trisomy 8, i(17q), del(5q), del(20q), or a t(2;11). Those with one of the first three abnormalities (22 patients) had shorter survival, more frequent progression to leukemia, and less response to treatment with 13-Cis-retinoic acid than did those in the latter three groups (21 patients). Additional data on these subgroups of preleukemic patients may confirm the prognostic value of such karyotypic information.