[Characteristic features of leukemia in infants during the first year of life]

Clincocytological features of leukemia were investigated in 58 infants of the first year of life. Among these infants the sucklings present the most unfavourable group with respect to the disease prognosis. Specific clinical symptoms were most manifest in patients with congenital acute leukemia (21), and congenital chronic myeloid leukemia (20 patients). Cytogenetic investigation has revealed anomalic karyotypes (some of them are similar) in most of infants with congenital acute leukemia. In three patients with congenital chronic myeloid leukemia a typical Philadelphia chromosome has been detected, that is a rather rare case.