P190(BCR ABL) REARRANGEMENT IN MYELODYSPLASTIC SYNDROMES - 2 REPORTS AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE/

We describe two patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and the P hiladelphia chromosome (Ph). The patients were 64- and 69-year-old men who were diagnosed as having refractory anaemia with excess of blasts . During the terminal phase, the MDS evolved to myeloblastic leukaemia . Chromosome analysis showed normal karyotypes mixed with metaphases c ontaining a classic Ph chromosome t(9:22)(q34:q11). Surprisingly, mole cular studies showed breakpoint cluster region rearrangement between e xons al and a2, compatible with a p190(bcr)/(abl) breakpoint, as obser ved in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. We discuss the correlation betwe en MDS and acquisition of the Ph chromosome, and the occurrence of p19 0(bcr/abl) in MDS.