[Acute leukemia with translocation (8;16)]

Three cases of M5 acute leukemia, 1 with a t(8;16)(p11;p13), 2 with variant translocations, both with a breakpoint at band 8p11, t(6;8)(q27;p11) and t(8;19)(p11;q13) are reported and 12 other published cases reviewed. This is a rare new entity, of variable but rather poor prognosis, seen from birth to 75 years of age, with several cases in infants. Leukemic cells, which often show conspicuous phagocytic activity on bone marrow smears, bear both monocytic and granulocytic markers in at least some cases. The best therapeutic regimen is not well-defined. The molecular basis of the disorder remains to be elucidated.