Congenital Leukemia

Four new cases of congenital leukemia reported here may be added to the 14 acceptable cases in the literature. In all except 1 of these cases cells of the granulocytic series were involved; males predominated over females in a ratio of more than 2 to 1. Congenital anomalies were present in 3 of the 4 cases we have reported, indicating a growth disturbance early in fetal life. Contrary to the usual finding in childhood leukemia, cells of the granulocytic series in the 4 cases reported here exhibited a fair degree of differentiation and in this respect are similar to those which characterize the chronic form of the disease. It seems likely, therefore, that the leukemia existed during a significant portion of intrauterine life.