Immunological and cytogenetic studies in two cases of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Burkitt's type)

Immunological and cytogenetic studies were performed on two patients who presented with L-3 acute lymphocytic leukemia (Burkitt-type). Surface marker studies showed that both had B-cell leukemias. The blast cells in Case 1 expressed monoclonal IgM kappa surface immunoglobulin and in Case 2, IgG kappa. In the first case, cytogenetic analysis of bone marrow revealed the presence of a rare variant translocation involving the short arm of chromosome 2 and the long arm of chromosome 8 in all the metaphases examined. This is the second report of such a translocation in Burkitt's leukemia. The 8;14 translocation reported in classical Burkitt's lymphoma and other B-cell lymphomas was present in all the bone marrow metaphases in the second case.