Translocation t(4;12)(q21;p13) occurs predominantly in B-cell lymphoid disorders, including ALL, NHL, rarely with T-ALL and AML.
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL): was diagnosed in 5 patients (Groupe Franais de Cytogntique Hmatologique, 1993; Behm et al., 1996; Elghezal et al., 2001; Gindina T., own case, table 1,#8).
Primary mediastinal large-B-cell lymphoma was found in 1 patient (Palanisamy et al, 2002)
Adult T-cell Leukemia: 1 patient (Sadamori et al., 1991).
Non-Hodgkins lymphoma: 1 patient (Schouten et al., 1990).
Acute myeloid leukemia: 1 patient with AML-M7 (Ohyashiki et al., 1984).

Two patients had B-cell Early B ALL (CD10+) and Pre-B ALL (CIg +) (Groupe Franais de Cytogntique Hmatologique, 1993).

The translocation t(4;12)(q21;p13) was found in adults and children as well as equally among male and female patients.
Table 1. Reported cases with t(4;12)(q21;p13).

Pts	Disease	Gender/Age	Karyotype
1	NHL	F/?	49,XX, +3,+18,t(3;?)(q29;?), t(4;12)(q21;p13), del(6)(q23),t(7;?)(q2l;?),t(9;?)(p23;?),t(14;18)(q32;q21),t(17;?)(p13;?),+mar
2	ATL	M/?	48,XY,+del(l)(p32),+3,t(4;12)(q21;p13)
3	PMBL	F/?	50,XX, dup(2)(q21q31),+3,t(4;12)(q21;p13), del(6)(q23),del(7)(q21),add(9)(p23),add(13)(p13),t(14;18)(q32;q21),+18, +add(20)(p13),+21
4	B-ALL	F/?	47,XX,t(4;12)(q13;p12),del(15)(q14q25),+21,der(21) t(12;21)[3]/ 48,idem,+13[1]/49,idem,+X[1]
5	B-ALL Remission duration 30+	F/6	47,XX,t(1;12)(p22;p13),t(4;12)(q21;p13),+10, del(11)(q23)/45,X,-X,t(4;12)
6	B-ALL	M/3	47,XY,del(1q),del(2q),der(3q), t(4;12)(q13;p12), del(6)(q21q25), + mar
7	B-ALL	M/5	46, XY, der(1)t(1;?)(p36;?), t(4;12)(q13;p12)
8	B-ALL	F/3	48,XX,t(4;12)(q21;p13),+10,+21
9	AML-M7	M/59	46,XY,t(4;12)(q21;p13)

NHL: non-Hodgkins lymphoma; ATL: Adult T-cell leukemia; PMBL: Primary mediastinal large-B-cell lymphoma; B-ALL: B-Acute lymphoblastic leukemia; AML-M7: Acute megakaryoblastic leukemia
1. Schouten et al., 1990: 2. Sadamori et al., 1991; 3. Palanisamy et al., 2002; 4. Elghezal et al., 2001; 5. Behm et al., 1996; 6,7. Groupe Franais de Cytogntique Hmatologique, 1993; 8. Gindina, personal observation; 9. Ohyashiki et al., 1984.

Genes implicated in this translocation remain unknown.

Most likely, the translocation t(4;12)(q21;p13) is a secondary genetic event in oncogenesis.