The acute erythroleukemias.
Acute erythroleukemia is an aggressive leukemia derived from a multipotential stem cell. Three subtypes have been described: (1) M6a with greater than or equal to 30% blasts of the nonerythrocytic component, (2) M6b with greater than or equal to 30% pronormoblasts of the erythrocytic elements, and (3) M6c with greater than or equal to 30% blasts and greater than or equal to 30% pronormoblasts by the aforementioned exclusion criteria. The poor prognosis associated with this disorder positively correlates with a high pronormoblast:myeloblast ratio; unfavorable cytogenetic aberrations; a high proliferative index; and the presence of P-glycoprotein expression (multidrug resistance phenotype). Chemotherapeutic regimens directed toward these specific parameters should be devised in order to improve the characteristically poor outcome of this patient population.
Mazzella
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FM
Diarion Systems, Stratford, Connecticut, USA. fmazz65@aol.com
Alvares
C
C
Kowal-Vern
A
A
Schumacher
H R
HR
D000208:Acute Disease; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D004915:Leukemia, Erythroblastic, Acute / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis