[Case conference of hematological malignancies based on the morphology of blood cells: chairmen's introductory remarks].

A case conference of hematological malignancies based on the morphology of blood cells was held as a joint symposium of the Japanese Society of Laboratory Medicine and Japanese Society of Laboratory Hematology. Four cases were presented and discussed mainly from the viewpoint of cellular morphology: two cases of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with myelodysplasia-related changes, one case of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma, and one case of chronic myelogenous leukemia in the blast phase. Each case included pathological and morphological findings that were carefully examined and intensively discussed by two experienced commentators and participants. The importance of the morphological evaluation of immature cells such as granular myeloblasts or promyelocytes was reconfirmed at this conference. In addition, immunological, cytogenetic, and molecular examinations were also essential for the final diagnosis of these cases.