Objective: Report for the first time of two cases of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) M(2) with t (8; 19) (q22; q13).
Methods: Chromosome specimens were prepared by short-term culture of bone marrow cells and karyotype analyses were carried out using R-and G-banding techniques. Immunophenotyping of the blast cells was analyzed by flow cytometry with a panel of monoclonal antibodies. AML1/ETO fusion gene was tested by "nested" reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
Results: Karyotype analyses showed 46, XX, t (8; 19) (q22; q13) [28]/46, XX [2] in case 1 and t (8; 19) (q22; q13), del (9) (q12q22) [23]/46, XY [2] in case 2. In case 2, the blast cells expressed CD(13) (38.8%), CD(33) (31.8%), CD(34) (80.9%), and CD(19) (63.9%) and RT-PCR assay revealed no AML1/ETO fusion gene transcript.
Conclusion: t (8; 19) (q22; q13) is a variant form of t (8; 21) (q22; q22). Its molecular entity remains to be elucidate.