Trilineage phenotypic compromise in acute leukemia.
The expression of three lineage specific antigens in the leukemic blasts is extremely infrequent. We here report a case of triphenotypic acute leukemia with involvement of the myeloid and B and T lineages. The morphology of the blasts showed promyelocytic features with agranular cytoplasm, suggesting a M3-variant of AML. The blasts were positive for myeloperoxidase PAS and Sudan Black. Immunophenotype and cytogenetics did not confirm M3-AML diagnosis, showing a trilineage compromise (myeloid and T and B lymphoid markers) and the cytogenetic alterations +8 and +11, respectively. This report highlights the importance of correlating the results of multiple diagnostic methods in order to establish a correct diagnosis of mixed lineage acute leukemias, and allows evaluation of the prognostic importance of this subgroup of patients.
Scolnik
M P
MP
IIHEMA, Academia Nacional De Medicina De Buenos Aires, Argentina. postmaster@anmra.sld.ar
Palacios
M F
MF
Ramirez
F R
FR
Tur
R
R
Castuma
M V
MV
Bracco
M M
MM
D000328:Adult; D002469:Cell Separation; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D010641:Phenotype