M5 is associated with characteristic chromosomal abnormalities, often involving Chromosome 11 at 11q23 or t(9;11) affecting the MLL locus, however the MLL translocation is also found in other AML subtypes. MLL is believed to be prognostically unfavorable in AML-M5 compared to other genetic alterations involving MLL such as t(9;11). The t(8;16) translocation in MLL is associated with hemophagocytosis.