t(8;14)(q11;q32) in acute lymphoid leukemia: description of two cases.

An 8;14 chromosome translocation with breakpoints at q11 and q32, respectively, is described as the sole abnormality in bone marrow cells of two adult patients with common acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The Southern blot analysis revealed a rearrangement after BamHI and HindIII digestion and hybridization with a JH probe, thus demonstrating the involvement of the gene coding for the heavy chains of the immunoglobulins (IgH). Therefore, a pathogenetic mechanism similar to that observed in Burkitt's lymphoma and its variants, or in other lymphomas with t(11;14) or t(14;18), may be hypothesized. In all these cases IgH is juxtaposed to an oncogene (c-MYC, BCL-1, and BCL-2, respectively). A similar structure, with oncogene type potential, could be present on 8q11. The patients underwent a complete remission after induction therapy.