Cytogenetic findings in a patient presenting simultaneously with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia.

A case of simultaneous presentation of B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is described. CLL was documented by bone marrow and peripheral blood lymphocytosis with a typical B-CLL immunophenotype. The diagnosis of AML was supported by the presence of bone marrow and circulating blast cells positive for myeloperoxidase and myeloid-associated markers. Although the immunophenotyping and morphocytochemical studies indicated two different cell populations (mature B-CLL lymphocytes and myeloblasts), chromosome aberrations commonly associated with CLL and AML were found simultaneously in the same metaphases obtained from unstimulated 24-hour cultures of peripheral blood cells.