Cytogenetic analysis of 100 consecutive newly diagnosed cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Rio de Janeiro

Abstract

We report the cytogenetic analysis of newly diagnosed Brazilian children with acute lymphocytic leuke mia (ALL). We investigated 100 ALL cases from four different institutions in Rio de Janeiro. The fre quency of chromosomal abnormalities was 92.3%. The karyotype profile and recurrent abnormalities found in this study do not differ essentially from those described by other groups. Although the Brazilian population is usually the product of different ethnic groups, our results show that the frequency of each re current abnormality is similar to that found in populations without our degree of diverse ethnic composi tion. Hence, our results suggest that childhood ALL in Brazil has the same biological features as that in developed countries, supporting the use of similar treatment protocols. We can therefore expect to reach the same survival rates in the coming years, depending possibly on the efficacy of the support therapy and extent of social assistance.