Background: here has been some reports demonstrating the geographic heterogeneity in frequency of specific cytogenetic aberrations, but little is known about the types, frequency and prognostic value of specific chromosomal abnormalities in Korean adults with acute myelogenous leukemia. To evaluate cytogenetic characteristics of Korean adults with acute myelogenous leukemia, following study was performed.
Methods: Cytogenetic studies using high-resolution banding technique were done on newly diagnosed 38 patients with de none acute myelogenous leukemia(AML) admitted to Asan medical center from January 1995 to May 1996.
Results:
1) Sixteen patients(42.1%) had clonal chromosomal abnormalities.
2) The t(8;21) was detected in 8 patients(21.1%). The t(15;17) was detected in 2 patients. The inv(16), del(11)(q23) and 7q- were detected in 1 patient each. Trisomy 21
as a sole abnormality was detected in 1 patient and complex abnormalities were detected in 2 patients. Trisomy 8 was not detected.
3) Eight(50%) of the 16 patients with AML-M2 had t(8;21), 2 of the 3 patients with AML-M3 had t(15; 17) and 1 patient with AML-M4Eo had inv(16).
4) The median age of patients with chromosomal abnormalities was significantly younger than that of patients with normal karyotype(34 vs. 48 years, P=0.003). Other clinical and laboratory characteristics were not significantly different between abnormal and normal cytogenetic groups.
5) The complete remission rate of patients with chromosomal abnormalities was lower than that of patients with normal karyotype, but the difference of CR rates was not
statistically significant(78.1 vs. 84.2%, P=NS).
Conclusion: These results suggest that lower incidence of trisomy 8, higher incidence of t(8;21) and stronger association between t(8;21) and AML-M2 than usually described may be the cytogenetic characteristics of acute myelogenous leukemia in Korean adult.

Keywords: Acute myelogenous leukemia, Chromosomal abnormalities, Korean,