Simultaneous PML/RARα and AML1/ETO expression with t(15;17) at onset and relapse with only t(8;21) in an acute promyelocytic leukemia patient

We report a patient with acute promyelocytic leukemia with the common translocation (15;17) and PML-RARAα fusion gene. In relapse, blasts showed typical FAB M2 morphologic features, and the karyotype was 45,X, −Y,t(8;21). A reexamination of the leukemic cells at diagnosis revealed that an AML1-ETO fusion gene was also present at that time without cytogenetic evidence of t(8;21). In relapse, only t(8;21) was detected. Two different clones were identified by cytogenetic standard techniques. The association of two common translocations supervening in the same time in the same cells could not be established.