Trisomy 8 in Acute Myeloid Leukaemia: A Non-Random Event

Fatal cutaneous T cell lymphoma in a child with atopic dermatitis

The development of a fatal cutaneous T cell lymphoma in a child with atopic disease is presented. From very early childhood the patient had classic atopic dermatitis, and at age 13 developed lymphoma-like skin tumors. The diagnosis--based on immunohistologic criteria--was initially difficult to establish, but cytogenetic and DNA studies of the dermal infiltrate supported the clinical suspicion of malignancy. In addition, the T cell receptor beta chain gene showed a clonal rearrangement pattern both in skin and in lymph node, suggesting malignancy. Whether the malignant evolution in our patient took place primarily in the skin or in the lymph nodes is difficult to decide. Further examination of the association between atopic dermatitis and cutaneous T cell lymphoma may lead to insights into both disorders.

Blastic phase of myeloproliferative syndrome coexisting with a malignant teratoma

A myeloproliferative condition in blastic phase is described in an 18-year-old male who was also found to have a mediastinal malignant teratoma. Myeloid metaplasia was found in the lymph nodes and spleen, and an infiltration of granulocytic blast cells was observed in the bone marrow and the lymph nodes. Aneuploidy with an extra chromosome (trisomy 8) was present in bone marrow cells. To our knowledge the combination of a myeloproliferative disorder and a malignant teratoma has not been earlier described.

Cytogenetic studies on four cases of non-endemic Burkitt lymphoma

Cytogenetic studies carried out on four children with non-endemic Burkitt lymphoma showed: 1) Two with the typical translocation t(8;14)(q24;q23); 2) one with a variant t(2;8)(p11;q24); and 3) one with apparently normal chromosomes 8 and 14. Additional chromosomal variation was present in all four patients. Two were shown to have a duplication of part of the long arm of chromosome 1 (1q23 leads to 1q32 and 1q23 leads to 1q42). Epstein Barr virus studies on two patients showed that one was positive and the other negative. A comparison of these results with other non-endemic cases in the literature has been made revealing a wider range of chromosomal variation than has been hitherto reported for endemic cases. The finding that chromosome 8 is also involved in the variant translocations in Burkitt lymphoma suggests that its changes may contribute more to the tumour development than the than the 14q+.

Chromosome 8 abnormalities as components of neoplastic and hematologic disorders

Publications involving patients with any abnormality of chromosome 8 have been reviewed in detail. For the time period involved, a total of 277 cases were found, including 74 instances of congenital aneuploidy, 130 instances of acquired aneuploidy, 38 instances of congenital rearrangements, and 35 instances of acquired rearrangements. A total of 170 cases of neoplastic and hematologic disorders were included; three were associated with congenital aneuploidy, two with congenital rearrangements, and the remaining 165 with acquired aberrations. The specific disorders ranged from sideroblastic anemia through chronic and acute leukemia to solid tumors. There appears to be a definite, though non-specific correlation between congenital or acquired chromosome 8 abnormalities and the development of certain types of neoplastic growth.

Cytogenetic patterns in acute nonlymphocytic leukemia

Analysis of chromosomal banding patterns in acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) reveals that approximately 50% of patients have an abnormal karyotype. Although there is substantial variability, certain nonrandom abnormalities occur, e.g., +8, -7, and the 8;21 translocation (often accompanied by loss of an X or Y chromosome). The 15;17 translocation appears to be highly specific for acute promyelocytic leukemia. These abnormalities usually are not seen in remission, but reappear in relapse, sometimes exhibiting further clonal evolution; a +8 is the most frequently observed evolutionary change. Patients with ANLL following treatment of a malignant lymphoma tend to have hypodiploid modal numbers and frequently show loss of a chromosome No. 5 or No. 7.

Trisomy 8 in the chronic phase of Philadelphia negative chronic myelocytic leukaemia

An unusual case of Philadelphia negative chronic myelocytic leukaemia and an extra chromosome 8 in all bone marrow cells is described. The abnormality was present at diagnosis of the disease and throughout the chronic phase which lasted for somewhat less than 2 years. The patient died soon after the blastic transformation with no other chromosomal abnormalities.

Acute leukemia associated with trisomy 8 mosaicism and a familial translocation 46,XY,t(7;20)(p13;p12)

A patient is shown to have acute granulocytic leukemia, bone marrow mosaicism, and cutaneous fibroblast mosaicism for trisomy 8, an inherited reciprocal translocation involving the short arms of chromosomes 7 and 20, and a family history of cancer. A normal sister who had the same balanced chromosome translocation was evaluated for a preleukemic state; the results were unremarkable. The inherited translocation and postzygotically derived trisomy 8 are thought to represent additive factors contributing to the development of leukemia in the patient.