The occurrence of the 15;17 translocation in acute promyelocytic leukemia

Abstract For many years, acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) has been associated with the 15;17 translocation. However, questions concerning an eventual geographic distribution have been raised by the Second and Fourth International Workshops on Chromosomes in Leukemia. Using a statistical approach, we showed that, even if the techniques of processing play an important role in detecting the 15;17 translocation, a geographic distribution exists, which is difficult to explain. Finally, we discuss the possible role of c-erb A1 in acute promyelocytic leukemia.