CONGENITAL MONOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA IN A NEWBORN WITH A RARE T(10-11)(P13-Q21) TRANSLOCATION - REGRESSION AFTER LOW-DOSE CYTOSINE-ARABINOSIDE AND STEROIDS

Congenital leukemia is a rare disorder occurring most commonly in neon ates with Down syndrome, The leukemia in such neonates may regress spo ntaneously. However, prognosis is less good for non-Down cases, especi ally for those with cytogenetic abnormalities. This report presents a patient with congenital monoblastic leukemia who showed complete remis sion after minimal chemotherapy. The patient had a rare translocation of t(10;11)(p13;q21) but not trisomy 21. This was the third such case of congenital leukemia with cytogenetic abnormalities in the literatur es, who achieved complete remission after minimal chemotherapy, and wa s the second reported ease of congenital monoblastic leukemia with 11q 21 translocation in the neonatal period. Because of the possibility of spontaneous remission in congenital leukemia patients, even those wit h acquired chromosomal abnormalities, it is suggested that patients in such an age group should be observed and evaluated carefully before i nitiating intensive chemotherapy, which may cause substantial mortalit y and morbidity.