Uiromosomal Studies in Erythroleukemia and Chronic

T HE DI GUGLIELMO SYNDROME1 is a condition characterized principally by neoplastic proliferation of the cells of the erythroid series, which is frequently, if not invariably, associated with leukemic proliferation of the cells of the granulocytic series. It is usually of acute variety but-rarely-chronic forms are encountered. The term “acute erythremic myelosis” or “Di Guglielmo disease”2 is frequently used if the proliferation is predominately or exclusively of the erythroid type and “erythroleukemia” if both the erythroid and granulocytic series are involved in more or less equal proportions. It has been demonstrated that the acute leukemias do not have specific chromosome patterns3 and that in many instances the chromosomes are apparently normal.47 In the Di Guglielmo syndrome, the cytogenetic findings are few, indefinite and far from conclusive ( Table 1 ) The purpose of this report is to present chromosome findings in six cases of Di Guglielmo syndrome and to discuss them in light of the findings in other forms of myeloproliferative disorders. Changes in group C and group G are of particular interest.