A NEW VARIANT TRANSLOCATION OF T(15-17) IN A PATIENT WITH ACUTE PROMYELOCYTIC LEUKEMIA (M3) - T(15-19-17)(Q22-P13-Q12)

The reciprocal translocation (15;17) is specifically associated with a cute promyelocytic leukemia [APL; M3 subtype according to French-Ameri can-British (FAB) classification]. A few patients with this disease ha ve complex variant translocations. We describe a patient with M3 carry ing t(15;19;17)(q22;p13;q12), which is a new type of variant transloca tion. The karyotypic interpretation was confirmed by Southern blot ana lysis with the use of RAR alpha and by fluorescence in situ hybridizat ion (FISH) with the use of painting probes of chromosomes 15, 17, and 19 and a (15;17) translocation DNA probe. The results support the idea that the key event in APL is the formation of fusion gene PML/RAR alp ha on the der(15). (C) Elsevier Science Inc., 1998.