Mixed phenotype acute leukemia (MPAL)

Mixed phenotype acute leukemia (MPAL) accounts for 2-5% of all acute leukemias (Weinberg OK et al., 2010). The World Health Organization (WHO) classification of hematopoietic and lymphoid tumors proposed a simpler diagnostic algorithm, which relies on fewer and more lineage-specific markers to define MPAL. MPAL with t(9;22) and MLL rearrangement are now separate subtypes of MPAL and considered as distinct entities (Weir EG et al., 2010). Recent molecular studies demonstrates frequent epigenetic regulatory genes and tumor suppressor genes frequently present in MPAL.