Myeloproliferative syndrome in childhood

This report describes an atypical "myeloproliferative disorder" in a child that evolved over a 6-year period. The clinical and laboratory features resembled the adult type of chronic myelogenous leukemia, but a Philadelphia chromosome was lacking. Although the proper classification of this disorder remains uncertain, the case makes a good point for the use of diagnostic procedures such as the bone marrow core biopsy and cytogenetic studies to help unravel and define the characteristics of these unusual "myeloproliferative" disorders.