Prognostic significance of cytogenetic abnormalities of chromosome arm 12p in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia - A report from the Children's Cancer Group

BACKGROUND. The authors have determined the prognostic significance of cytogenetically detectable 12p abnormalities, which are frequent in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL], in a large cohort of patients treated on risk-adjusted protocols of the Children's Cancer Group (CCG). METHODS. The presence of an abnormal 12p was identified among 1880 children with newly diagnosed ALL; outcome was assessed by standard Life table methods. RESULTS. A total of 174 cases (9%) had cytogenetically detectable 12p abnormalities; the majority of cases had a balanced translocation, a del(12p), or an add(12p). In the overall cohort, event free survival (EFS) at 6 years was similar for patients with or without a 12p abnormality (76%, SD = 6%, vs. 75%, SD = 2%, respectively; P = 0.60). Among patients with pseudodiploidy, an abnormal 12p conferred improved outcome (P = 0.008; relative risk = 0.51; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.31-0.85). There was a trend for improved EFS for those with abnormalities in both chromosome 12 homologues (P = 0.16; relative risk = 0.39; 95% CI, 0.10-1.55) and those with low hyperdiploidy (P = 0.07; relative risk = 0.44; 95% CI, 0.18 -1.09]. Among T-lineage ALL patients, there was a trend for worse outcome for abnormal versus normal 12p (P = 0.14; relative risk = 1.97; 95% CI, 0.78-4.93]. There was no difference in EFS for the 12 patients with a dic(9;12) compared with patients lacking an abnormal 12p. CONCLUSIONS. These data suggest that although a cytogenetically detectable 12p aberration is a favorable risk factor for children with. ALL and pseudodiploidy, it is not prognostic for the overall group of pediatric ALL patients treated with contemporary therapies of the CCG. Cancer 2000;88:1945-54. (C) 2000 American Cancer Society.