Purpose

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with inv(3)(q21q26.2)/t(3; 3)(q21; q26.2) inv(3)/t(3; 3)] is recognized as a distinctive entity in the WHO classification. Risk assignment and clinical and genetic characterization of AML with chromosome 3q abnormalities other than inv(3)/t(3; 3) remain largely unresolved.

Patients and Methods

Cytogenetics, molecular genetics, therapy response, and outcome analysis were performed in 6,515 newly diagnosed adult AML patients. Patients were treated on Dutch-Belgian HematoOncology Cooperative Group/Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research (HOVON/SAKK; n = 3,501) and German-Austrian Acute Myeloid Leukemia Study Group (AMLSG; n = 3,014) protocols. EVI1 and MDS1/EVI1 expression was determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

Results

3q abnormalities were detected in 4.4% of AML patients (288 of 6,515). Four distinct groups were defined: A: inv(3)/t(3; 3), 32%; B: balanced t(3q26), 18%; C: balanced t(3q21), 7%; and D: other 3q abnormalities, 43%. Monosomy 7 was the most common additional aberration in groups (A), 66%; (B), 31%; and (D), 37%. N-RAS mutations and dissociate EVI1 versus MDS1/EVI1 overexpression were associated with inv(3)/t(3; 3). Patients with inv(3)/t(3; 3) and balanced t(3q21) at diagnosis presented with higher WBC and platelet counts. In multivariable analysis, only inv(3)/t(3; 3), but not t(3q26) and t(3q21), predicted reduced relapse-free survival (hazard ratio [HR], 1.99; P

Conclusion

Various categories of 3q abnormalities in AML can be distinguished according to their clinical, hematologic, and genetic features. AML with inv(3)/t(3; 3) represents a distinctive subgroup with unfavorable prognosis.