Philadelphia chromosome in idiopathic acquired sideroblastic anemia.

In a 70-year-old female patient with idiopathic acquired sideroblastic anemia (IASA) the karyotype revealed the presence of a Philadelphia chromosome in one third of the bone marrow mitoses. The patient was followed for 45 months and no signs of chronic myeloid leukemia or other leukemic transformation developed. In IASA the chromosomal changes are variable. This is the first report showing the presence of a Ph1 chromosome.