The incidence of trisomy 8 as a sole chromosomal aberration in myeloid malignancies varies in relation to gender, age, prior iatrogenic genotoxic exposure, and morphology

Although trisomy 8 as a sole change is one of the most common chromosomal a bnormalities in myeloid malignancies, it is largely unknown if the incidenc e of this aberration is influenced by other factors of clinical importance. In the present study, the frequencies of isolated +8 in relation to gender , age, previous treatment with chemo- or radiotherapy, and morphologic subt ype were ascertained in published, as well as in our own unpublished, cases of acute myeloid leukemia (AML; n=4,246), myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS; n=1,817), and chronic myeloproliferative disorders (MPD; n=530). The freque ncies of +8 were higher in MDS and MPD than in AML (7.5% vs. 5.6%; P <0.01) and varied among the morphologic subtypes of AML and MDS (P <0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively). Trisomy 8 was more common in women than in men with MP D (11% vs. 5.1%; P <0.05). Furthermore, the frequencies of +8 were higher i n de novo AML and MDS than in treatment-related cases (6.0% vs. 2.8%; P <0. 01 and 8.6% vs. 1.5%; P <0.001, respectively). The incidence also varied si gnificantly with age in AML (P <0.001), being more common in elderly patien ts. Although the causes for this frequency heterogeneity remain to be eluci dated, possible explanations may include different environmental exposures affecting the origin of +8 in AML, MDS, and MPD and the presence of differe nt underlying cryptic primary aberrations. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. A ll rights reserved.