Follow-up of sixty two cases of acute basophilic leukemia.

62 cases of ABL have been investigated over the last 20 years. In our series ABL were 5% of all acute leukaemias. Four ABL types can be distinguished : (a) the basophilic terminal phase (basophilic blastic crisis) of cronic myeloid leukemia; (b) the mixed basophilic-oesinophilic types; (c) the promyelocytic basophilic type; and (d) histio basoblastic type. The first two are quite rare. The promyelocytic basophilic type can be easily differentiated from PNL; the frequency of the latter is three times higher. Fundamental to diagnosis are cytochemical stains specific for acid mucopolysacchaes. Myelobiopsy is always essential since in almost 50% of the cases no typical cells appears in the peripheral blood. In the bone marrow Ab are very numerous and and pleiomorphic. ABL is marked from its onset by a severe symptomatology. In contrast to our experience in PNL, only do some patients with ABL achieve complete remission.