A variant 8;21 translocation in acute myeloblastic leukemia

A three-way rearrangement involving chromosomes 1, 8, and 21 was observed in bone marrow cells from a female with acute myeloblastic leukemia, subtype M2 (AML-M2). The translocation break points in chromosomes 8 and 21 were identical to those found in the standard t(8;21) that is associated with this disease type. A review of this and four previously reported cases involving variant 8;21 translocations indicates that a consistent pattern of exchange may be involved in these complex rearrangements even though the third chromosome affected may differ.