Erythroleukaemia in the north of England: a population based study.

AIMS To evaluate the incidence and outcome of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), FAB M6 (erythroleukaemia). METHODS A demographic study in the Northern Health Region of England between 1983 and 1999. RESULTS Thirty three cases were diagnosed and registered prospectively. The overall incidence was 0.077 cases/100,000/year. There was a pronounced rise in incidence in patients aged 56 years or more: 6.6 times higher than that in younger patients. Overall survival was poor; median survival was 11 months for those aged less than 56 years, and three months for patients aged 56 years and above (p = 0.045). Acquired karyotypic abnormalities were found in 17 of 27 patients where analysis was attempted. When classified according to the criteria of the Medical Research Council AML trials, karyotype predicted survival, with a median overall survival of 14 months for those with "standard risk" cytogenetic results and two months for "poor risk" results (p = 0.005). CONCLUSION This study demonstrates a worse survival for patients with erythroleukaemia than that reported in some published trials of selected patients.