Acute erythrocyte leukemia is a rare form of acute myeloid leukemia (less than 5% of AML cases) where the myeloproliferation is of erythrocytic precursors. It is defined as type "M6" under the FAB classification. Signs and symptoms
The most common symptoms of AEL are related to pancytopenia (a shortage of all types of blood cells), including fatigue, infections, and mucocutaneous bleeding. Almost half of people with AEL exhibit weight loss, fever and night sweats at the time of diagnosis. Almost all people with AEL are anemic, and 77% have a hemoglobin level under 10.0 g/dl. Signs of thrombocytopenia are found in about half of people with AEL. Causes
The causes of AEL are unknown. Prior to a 2008 reclassification by the World Health Organization, cases that evolved from myelodysplastic syndromes, myeloproliferative neoplasms, chemotherapy for other cancers or exposure to toxins were defined as secondary AEL. These cases are now likely to instead be classified as acute myeloid leukemia with myelodysplasia-related changes or therapy-related AML. +

Diagnosis
Acute erythroid leukemias can be classified as follows:

M6a (Erythroleukemia)
50% or more of all nucleated bone marrow cells are erythroblasts, dyserythropoiesis is prominent and 20% or more of the remaining cells (non- erythroid) are myeloblasts. M6b (Pure erythroid leukemia)
In rare cases the erythroid lineage is the only obvious component of an acute leukemia; a myeloblast component is not apparent. The erythroid component consists predominantly or exclusively of proerythroblasts and early basophilic erythroblasts. These cells may constitute 90% or more of the marrow elements.
64–70% of people with this condition are male, and most are elderly, with a median age of 65. History
The first known case of acute erythroid leukemia was described in 1912 by M. Copelli under the name erythromatosis. In 1917, Italian hematologist Giovanni Di Guglielmo (1886–1962), expanded on the description, coining the name "eritroleucemia" (Italian for erythroleukemia). Di Guglielmo was the first to recognize the leukemic nature of the condition, and it is sometimes referred to as Di Guglielmos syndrome in recognition of his work. Ernst Neumark was widely credited for introducing Di Guglielmos syndrome to English pathology.Chris Squire, bassist from the progressive rock group Yes, died from complications related to acute erythroid leukemia on June 27, 2015. References
External links

Kowal-Vern A, Mazzella FM, Cotelingam JD, Shrit MA, Rector JT, Schumacher HR (2000). "Diagnosis and characterization of acute erythroleukemia subsets by determining the percentages of myeloblasts and proerythroblasts in 69 cases". Am. J. Hematol. 65 (1): 5–13. doi:10.1002/1096-8652(200009)65:1<5::AID-AJH2>3.0.CO;2-U. PMID 10936857. Histology at University of Virginia
Overview at Marist College
Images at Nagoya University