Acute promyelocytic leukaemia with t(11;17)(q23;q12-21) and a good initial response to prolonged ATRA and combination chemotherapy

Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) of FAB subtype M3 is associated with t(15:17)(q22:q21) and a relatively good prognosis when treated with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and combination chemotherapy. Rarely, alternative balanced translocations hare been described in this subtype of AML. The translocation t(11:17)(q23:q21) leading to a PLZF/RAR alpha rearrangement has been described in a very small number of cases and has been associated with a poor response to ATRA and an adverse prognosis, We describe a case of AML FAB type M3 with this translocation who entered morphological and cytogenetic complete remission after concurrent prolonged ATRA and one course of induction chemotherapy and remains in morphological and molecular remission at 10 months after presentation. This diagnosis therefore may not always be associated with a poor initial response to treatment.