Case Report: Tetraploid Leukemia

A patient with acute leukemia andtetraploid blast cells in the bone marrowis reported. The patient was a 69-yr-oldwhite male who was referred to ourinstitution for chemotherapy. His bonemarrow contained 89% blasts, 30% ofwhich were peroxidase positive. Theclinical history was characterized by arapid, downhill course, and the patientexpired 1 mo after admission in spite ofchemotherapy. At autopsy, nests of viableleukemic cells were still present in thebone marrow. Cytogenetic studies demonstrated a true tetraploid karyotypewith 92 chromosomes. The various mechanisms that may lead to the establishment of a tetraploid clone and theclinical implications of the presence ofthese cells in acute leukemia are discussed. So far as we know, this is thefirst case in which a true tetraploid cloneassociated with human neoplasia hasbeen identified.

Submitted on May 3, 1971 Revised on June 9, 1971 Accepted on June 10, 1971