Length polymorphisms of the human Y chromosome in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia.

Overview

The extent of length heteromorphisms of the human Y chromosomes was measured in 50 patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia and was compared with 50 normal controls. No significant difference (p greater than 0.05) in the size of the Y chromosome was noted between these two groups. These findings differ from an earlier investigation, where a longer heterochromatic segment of Y chromosome was noted in malignant tumors and it was stressed that constitutive heterochromatin plays a role in susceptibility of cancer. Present investigation, however, suggests that this is not the case in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia.