Unusual association of bone marrow necrosis, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and a rare 8;16 chromosomal translocation in an adult patient with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia.

In a patient with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia of the classic type (FAB subtype M2), three infrequently observed phenomena occurred together; bone marrow necrosis, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and an 8;16 chromosomal translocation. All three resolved with antileukemic therapy, only to reemerge when the leukemia relapsed, suggesting a causal relationship among these phenomena. Such observations and the consistent application of cytogenetic studies to patients with leukemia may help elucidate the significance of specific chromosomal abnormalities in patients with leukemia.