- Abstract -

Objective: The current study including patients with acute leukemia tries to identify the presence of Philadelphia chromosome and its implications in evolution, prognosis and therapeutic approach of the disease.
Material and Methods: 52 cytogenetic analyses of patients with leukemia with ages between 2-73 years have been performed in the Cytogenetic laboratory of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy Victor Babes Timisoara during 2004-2009.

Results: In this study lot Ph chromosome was identified in 3 cases of ALL with B cells and in 5 cases of AML. Two of the patients with AML presented Ph chromosome as singular anomaly. Another 3 patients had associated Ph chromosome with other chromosomal anomalies: one case had del11q23, the second one had trisomy 8 and the third had monosomy 5 and isochromosome 17q.

Conclusions: Cytogenetic analysis has been shown to be an important prognostic factor, capable of predicting remission duration and the therapeutic management.

Key words: philadelphia chromosome, cytogenetic analysis, acute leukemia