Summary
To differentiate neonatal transient leukemoid proliferation from congenital leukemia at an early stage is often difficult. Bone marrow culture is found to be helpful in this aspect. A normal in vitro growth pattern suggests transient leukemoid proliferation, while an abnormal growth pattern indicates congenital leukemia. A neonate who manifested with pictures mimicking acute myeloblastic leukemia (M1), had a karyotype of 46, XY/46, XY, i(21 q). However, the in vitro growth pattern was normal and so only supportive treatment was given. All the leukemoid manifestations disappeared several months later and he is now a healthy 2 year old boy remaining in complete remission. A second neonate who also displayed features of acute myeloblastic leukemia (M2), had a karyotype of 46, XY/47, XY, +21 and abnormal in vitro growth pattern. This neonate died at 18 days of age.
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Liang, DC., Shen, EY. & Chyou, SC. To early distinguish neonatal transient leukemoid proliferation from congenital leukemia by in vitro cell growth. Blut 53, 101–106 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00321092
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00321092