Cytogenetic evidence of involvement of an early progenitor myeloid cell in 4;11 translocation-associated acute leukemia

Abstract The t(4;11)(q21;q23)-associated acute leukemia may show both lymphoid and myelomonocytic features, which suggests a pluripotent progenitor stem cell as the hematopoietic cell involved in this neoplastic process. However, there is no cytogenetic evidence to support this contention. We present a case of acute myelomonocytic leukemia (M4, FAB subtype) with t(4;11)(q21;q23), which was also found in several hypertetraploid metaphases probably corresponding to megakaryocytes. This confirms the cellular origin in an early progenitor myeloid cell of this type of acute leukemia.