A Novel Translocation (1;2)(p34;p21–22) in Acute Myelomonoblastic Leukemia

A novel and as yet unrecorded translocation, (1;2)(p34;p21–22), detected in a patient with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is reported. The leukemia—in this case, AML-M4—showed a rapidly progressive fatal course despite an early transient response to aggressive chemotherapy. In this patient, the leukemic cells showed a novel balanced translocation, (1;2)(p34;p21–22), in most of the metaphases at the time of diagnosis and during subsequent relapse. Interferon-inducible double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase (ds RNA-PK) is located in the chromosome region, 2p21–22, that was involved in the translocation in this case. The possible role of ds RNA-PK in leukemogenesis is briefly mentioned.