Childhood acute myeloid leukemia with CBFβ-MYH11 rearrangement: Study of incidence, morphology, cytogenetics, and clinical outcomes of Chinese in Hong Kong

Abstract

We analyzed 43 consecutive cases of pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) for the presence of the CBFβ-MYH11 rearrangement using molecular techniques in a regional hospital in Hong Kong. Five cases (11.6%), 3 girls and 2 boys, ranging in age from 8 months to 14 years old, were found positive for the CBFβ-MYH11 rearrangement. Morphologically, they were FAB M2 or M4 with or without eosinophilia (Eo). Typical M4Eo was observed in only one case. The molecular findings were in complete concordance with cytogenetic data, which revealed inv(16)(p13q22) in all and also gains of chromosome 4, 8, 22, and Y in one patient. Clinically, all 5 patients achieved complete remission after chemotherapy with favorable outcomes except for the patient with infantile AML, who relapsed 11 months after diagnosis, underwent cord blood transplantation, and was in second remission. This is the first clinicopathological study and documentation of the incidence of CBFβ-MYH11 in childhood AML of Chinese in Hong Kong. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.