American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Technologist in Cytogenetics certification (ASCP CG) Practice Test

Which AML type is characterized by no associated chromosomal changes?

1. AML M3

2. AML M2

3. AML M1

4. AML M0

The correct answer is: AML M0

AML M0, or acute myeloid leukemia with minimal differentiation, is indeed characterized by the absence of prominent chromosomal abnormalities typically associated with other subtypes of acute myeloid leukemia. This subtype is defined by a lack of myeloid maturation and often presents a more challenging diagnostic scenario due to the minimal differentiation of the leukemic cells. In the context of acute myeloid leukemias, many subtypes exhibit specific chromosomal changes, which can be crucial for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment decision-making. For example, AML M3 (promyelocytic leukemia) is frequently associated with the translocation t(15;17), which results in the fusion of the promyelocytic leukemia (PML) gene and the retinoic acid receptor alpha (RARA) gene. Similarly, AML M2 (acute myeloblastic leukemia with maturation) often involves chromosomal abnormalities such as t(8;21), and AML M1 is associated with isolated abnormalities like 5q- or inv(16). In contrast, AML M0 is typically diagnosed based on the presence of blast cells that lack myeloid maturation and do not exhibit the defining chromosomal translocations or abnormalities associated with the other subtypes.