OBJECTIVETo summarize the clinical characteristics as well as diagnosis and treatment in 1 case of acute myeloid leukemia(AML) with coexpression of Ph and inv(16).

METHODSA series of clinical tests, the cellular morphological, immunological, cytogenetic and molecular biological examinations of leukemia cells were performed.

RESULTSThe clinical characteristics of this patient were very common. The cellular morphology is similar to the AML with inv(16). The leukemia cells were stained positively for CD13, CD33, CD34, CD117 and HLA-DR. Karyotypic analysis showed a complex chromosome abnormality including inv(16) and Ph, and the FISH analysis showed that the percentage of rearrangement of CBFβ allele was over that of the BCR-ABL fusion signals. The obvious adverse events did not occur in this patient within 3 years.

CONCLUSIONPh as secondary aberration of inv(16) rarely occures in primary AML cases, and so far there have not been the clear criteria of diagnosis and treatment. The cytogenetic and molecular biology could provide the basis for diagnosis. Moreover, autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation combined with imatinib probably is one of the effective treatment methods.