LYMPHOMATOUS T-CELL LEUKEMIA IN 2 ARAB CHILDREN - IS THERE A ROLE FORAN ENVIRONMENTAL-EFFECT

Two Arab children from the Gaza strip presented with fever, weakness, hepatosplenomegaly, lymphadenopathy and leukocytosis. The peripheral a nd bone marrow blasts had an immunophenotype compatable with T-cell ac ute lymphoblastic leukemia, and exhibited unusual markers (CD2+, CD3+, CD4-, CD8-). Cytogenetic studies revealed t(8;14)(q24;q11), possibly involving the alpha/delta locus of the T-cell receptor gene on chromos ome 14 rather than the immunoglobulin heavy-chain locus usually involv ed in the t(8;14)(q24;q32), which is typical for Burkitt's leukemia/ly mphoma. One of the children had a brother who died of T-cell acute lym phoblastic leukemia a few years later, however, his blasts showed dele tion of chromosome 12. The possible role for environmental factors ass ociated with low socioeconomic status, as well as of genetic factors i n leukemogenesis are discussed.