Refractory anaemia with ringed sideroblasts associated with marked thrombocytosis (RARS-T) with superimposed 5q-syndrome.

Refractory anaemia with ringed sideroblasts associated with marked thrombocytosis (RARS-T) is a rare entity belonging to myeloproliferative/myelodysplastic syndromes. Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) with isolated del(5q) is a category of MDS characterized by better prognosis and specific morphology. Herein we describe a 69-year-old male with anaemia and thrombocytosis presenting with coexisting features of both these rare diseases.

[Cytogenetic examination of children with acute leukemia].

Cytogenetic examinations were carried out in 40 children with acute leukaemia. In 18 cases karyotype changes were demonstrated, in 8 cases the karyotype was normal, in 14 cases no cell division was obtained and these patients were excluded from further analysis. In the group with karyotype changes in most cases poor prognosis indices were found, including high number of blasts, extramedullary presence of leukaemic infiltrations and FAB L2 or L3.