Translocation (8; 22) (q24; q11) and Epstein-Barr viral genome in a case of Burkitt's type of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (L3)

A case of Burkitt's type of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (FAB L3) in an 80-year-old male patient is reported. At the time of diagnosis, 74% of the bone marrow cells were lymphoblastoid cells, which were large and homogeneous in size, and whose cytoplasm was abundant and intensely basophilic containing many vacuoles. Lambda-light chains were detected as surface immunoglobulin (Ig), but not heavy chains or kappa-light chains. Epstein-Barr (EB) viral genome was detected in the cultured bone marrow cells by spot hybridization method. Chromosomal banding studies of bone marrow cells revealed t(8; 22) (q24; q11) in all the 18 metaphases examined. This translocation brings the Ig lambda-light chain gene on chromosome 22q11 to chromosome 8q24 where the c-myc proto-oncogene is localized, which is thought to be closely associated with the leukemogenesis of this disorder, whereas EB viral genome is observed in African Burkitt's lymphoma. To our best knowledge, however, there have been no reported Japanese patients with L3 ALL in whom t(8; 22) or EB viral genome was observed.