A new chromosome anomaly in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

A new chromosome anomaly in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is reported. Three, possibly four, patients showed an identical karyotype anomaly, characterized by a (4;11)(q13;q22) reciprocal translocation. This anomaly has not so far been found in lymphoproliferative disorders other than ALL. Two of the patients had congenital leukemia, but the anomaly described appears to be more characteristic of ALL than of congenital leukemia, and may help the clinician in establishing the diagnosis of ALL.