Molecular characteristics and chromatin texture features in acute promyelocytic leukemia.

Background: Acute promyelocytic leukemia is a cytogenetically well defined entity. Nevertheless, some features observed at diagnosis are related to a worse outcome of the patients.

Methods: In a prospective study, we analyzed peripheral (PB) leukocyte count, immunophenotype, methylation status of CDKN2B, CDKN2A and TP73; FLT3 and NPM1 mutations besides nuclear chromatin texture characteristics of the leukemic cells.