['Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a malignant, genetically heterogenous disorder characterized by uncontrolled growth of immature myeloid cells. The aim of this study was to analyze whether telomere length and/or hTERT expression are correlated with clonal chromosomal aberrations in AML.', 'Telomere length in mononuclear cells derived from 137 previously untreated patients with >or= 80% blasts was analyzed by flow fluorescent in situ hybridization. Results were expressed in telomere fluorescence Units (1 TFU=1 kb). The expression of hTERT, including its different splice variants was studied by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.', 'Age-adjusted telomere length in AML patients was significantly reduced as compared to in matched controls, consisting of peripheral blood granulocytes from healthy individuals (0-90 years) (median: -2.5 TFU; p<0.001). Patients with an aberrant karyotype had significantly shorter telomeres than patients with a normal karyotype (median -3.0 vs. -2.3 TFU; p=0.03). The shortest telomeres were found in patients with multiple aberrations (median -3.7 TFU; p=0.03). hTERT expression was found to be correlated with chromosomal abnormalities as well as with the detection of functional hTERT splicing variants.'] Does telomere length and hTERT expression in patients with acute myeloid leukemia correlate with chromosomal abnormalities?