Acute myelocytic leukaemia and leukaemia-associated antigens in sisters

In a sibship of 5 brothers and 7 sisters, 3 sisters died from acute myelocytic leukaemia while a 4th probably had the same disease. Laboratory studies on the close relatives revealed that a 5th sister had persistently high erythrocyte sedimentation-rates and serum-IgM levels and serological evidence of acute leukaemia-associated antigens. These findings suggest a possible preleukaemic state in this patient.