Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Associated with B-cell Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Evidence of Two Separate Clones as Shown by Combined Cell-sorting and Fluorescence In Situ Hybridisation

Abstract

The simultaneous occurrence of Philadelphia positive chronic myeloid leukemia (Ph + CML) and B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) is a rare event which raises the possibility that the two malignant clones derive from a common, or distinct, malignant stem cells. In this study, we used combined CD19-based cell-sorting and fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) to investigate whether or not the BCR - ABL fusion gene was present in the malignant B-cells of a patient who presented a Ph + CML/B-CLL association. The CD19 + cells lacked the BCR - ABL rearrangement whereas all CD19-cells exhibited the fusion gene. This result demonstrates that B-cell transformation occurred in a Ph-B-cell subset.

• Chronic Myelocytic Leukemia
• Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
• Cell-sorting
• Fish
• Molecular Independent Clones