Basophilic leukemia

Abstract

Two cases of basophilic leu-kemia are presented. Both patients responded clinically to antileu-kemic therapy, and, in 1 case, basophils decreased markedly after separate courses of splenic radiation and treatment with busulfan. The neutrophil alkaline phosphatase was not low and the Philadelphia chromosome could not be found in the case in which the phosphatase value was determined and the chromosome sought. This suggests that basophilic leukemia may not be a close variant of chronic myelocytic leukemia.