Congenital acute monoblastic leukemia with double translocation (8;16) (p11;p13) and (16;20) (q13;p13)

A new case of congenital acute monoblastic leukemia (AML5) with a rare (8;16) translocation is described: this translocation (or a variant) was previously reported only in 4 infants and 10 older children or adults, practically always in association with AML5 or acute myelomonocytic leukemia. The authors discuss the possible causative implication of band 8p11 with some cytological particularities, i.e. erythrophagocytosis by some blasts and strong peroxidase and esterase activities, observable here and in most of the cases with the t(8;16). The t(8;16) may be added to the other chromosomal abnormalities of congenital AML5.