MLL is involved in a t(2;11)(p21;q23) in a patient with acute myeloblastic leukemia

We describe a patient with acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML-M0) whose cells had a t(2;11)(p21;q23). Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis with a probe for MLL showed that it was split, hybridizing to both the derivative 2 and 11 chromosomes. Nineteen other patients with 2p;11q translocations have been described; breakpoints in 14 of these are the same as in the case we describe. The phenotype of these patients is quite variable, with 14 patients having myelodysplastic syndrome which evolved to AML in six. Four patients had AML and two had acute lymphoblastic leukemia. MLL status has been studied in two other patients; one had MLL rearranged and one did not.