Hodgkin's disease associated with chronic myeloid leukemia. Determination of bcr-abl rearrangement in paraffin-embedded tumors using the polymerase chain reaction.

A patient showing lymph node enlargement and tumors in the neck and axilla in the course of Philadelphia (Ph1) chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) was seen. There were no hematological findings suggestive of crisis. RNA was isolated from formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue specimens for the polymerase chain reaction of bcr-abl. CML-type products were detected in the peripheral blood, but no bcr-abl products were found in the lymph nodes. These findings indicate a very rare case in which Hodgkin's disease developed during the course of CML.