Cytogenetic and clonal culture evaluation after response to low dose ara-C in myelodysplastic syndromes

Cytogenetic and bone marrow culture studies were performed sequentially in 13 patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) who responded to low dose cytoeine arabinoside (Ara-C) treatment (complete in nine and partial in four patients). Of nine patients with initial clonal karyotypic abnormalities, six recovered a normal karyotype after attaining a response to treatment, but the other three patients retained partial or total karyotypic abnormalities. A new clonal karyotypic abnormallty appeared after treatment in one patient