Familial erythroleukaemia: a cytogenetic and haematological study

Clinical and haematological details of 2 siblings with a familial myeloproliferative disorder (erythroleukaemia) are presented. Their father is presumed to have died from a similar disease. The 2 siblings showed similar but not identical chromosomal abnormalities detected initially in marrow and later in peripheral blood. Serial studies revealed the emergence of an increasingly diverse pattern of chromosomal changes coincident with the haematological and clinical progression of the disease. Other members of the family were screened for cytogenetic and haematological changes. The paternal sibship displayed an increased incidence of cancer.