Clinical and laboratory features of seven patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML)-M2/M3 and elevated myeloblasts and abnormal promyelocytes

BACKGROUND: There is limited information on a special subtype of Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) characterized by >20% myeloblasts and >20% abnormal promyelocytes in bone marrow and peripheral blood. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the present investigation was to explore the clinical and laboratory features of seven patients with AML-M2/M3. METHOD: We retrospectively assessed cell morphology, cytochemistry, immunophenotype, cytogenetics, and clinical features of seven patients with this rare subtype of AML. RESULTS: All seven cases had thrombocytopenia, coagulation abnormalities, >20% myeloblasts and abnormal promyelocytes. The PML/RARα fusion gene was present in six patients and two patients presented a mixed PML/RARα and AML1/ETO genotype. Five cases achieved CR and two cases did not achieve remission and one case transform into AML-M2 after CR(1). CONCLUSIONS: The clinical and laboratory features of seven patients with AML-M2/M3 are demonstrated in the present study, providing information on the FAB sub-classification.