Variant translocation t(8;21;15) in an acute myeloblastic leukemia with phenotypic differential evolution

A new case of a variant form of the translocation (8;21) in an AML-M2, including in addition involvement of chromosome #15 is reported. The selection of two abnormal lines, probably resulting from two successive rearrangements of the (8;15) translocated segment, is observed. It is suggested that these rearrangements change the cellular morphology and seem to play a part similar to additional autosomal abnormalities in the course of the disease, such as those found in CML.