Hidden monosomy 7 in acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome detected by interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization.

Fifty patients [25 acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and 25 myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)], without monosomy 7 according to conventional cytogenetics, were re-examined by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Eleven (44.0%) patients with AML and nine (36.0%) with MDS showed hidden monosomy 7. Two samples who had both monosomy 7 and iso chromosome 17 were analyzed by dual color FISH to identify their clonal origin, and showed that these two abnormalities can occur together or independently. Only one of 16 MDS patients without monosomy 7 transformed into AML whereas four of eight MDS patients with the hidden monosomy 7 transformed into AML, suggesting patients with this abnormality are more likely to undergo transformation to AML.