Molecular and Cytogenetic Abnormalities in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patients, a Retrospective, Single-Center Study from the West Bank, Palestine رسالة ماجستير

Abstract

Background: Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is a blood cancer characterized by the uncontrolled growth of myeloid progenitor cells. The outlook and treatment strategies for AML patients depend heavily on specific molecular and cytogenetic alterations. These genetic profiles help determine cancer categorization, difficult assessment and treatment options, and outcomes for people with AML. Aims: In a retrospective study, we aimed to determine the molecular and cytogenetic profiles in acute myeloid leukemia patients during the last 7 years at An-Najah National University Hospital. Method: Electronic medical records of adult and pediatric acute myeloid leukemia patients were reviewed from the period of 2018 to 2024 at the oncology department of An-Najah National University Hospital, Nablus, Palestine. Data were analyzed using IBM Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) for Windows v.21 Results: A total of 170 patients with AML were included in the study. The age range of patients in our study was 1–79 years old, with a median age of 36 years. 41.2% of the patients showed clonal cytogenetic anomalies, with 58.8% of the patients having normal karyotypes. The most frequently found structural anomaly was t(15;17), while the most frequently and only seen numerical abnormality was monosomy 7. 59.4% of patients fell into the intermediate-risk group according to cytogenetic risk classification. Regarding molecular findings among the patients, 10.6% harbored FLT3-ITD mutations, 4.1% had FLT3-TKD mutations, and 10.6% carried NPM1 mutations. Conclusion: The study highlights that the intermediate-risk category was most common, with normal karyotypes being the most frequent. t(15;17), t(8;21), and inv(16) were the most frequent structural abnormalities; Older patients tended to show intermediate cytogenetic features. Platelet counts varied significantly across cytogenetic groups, indicating a prognostic marker. Cytogenetic and molecular patterns in our area displayed similarities and differences when analyzed against other populations.