Blast crisis of chronic myeloid leukemia: diagnosis prompted by T(8;9).

T(8;9) is a relatively new translocation that has been reported in a few patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) but never in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We report here a patient who presented with AML with t(8; 9). He lacked the Philadelphia chromosome but tested positive for the gene by the polymerase chain reaction method. This confirmed the diagnosis of CML with blast crisis, and appropriate treatment could be instituted