To determine if p19 genetic alterations play a role in hematopoietic malignancies, we examined DNA from 45 childhood newly diagnosed acute lymphocytic leukemias (ALLs), 30 acute myeloblastic leukemias (AMLs), 10 chronic myelocytic leukemias (CMLs), 45 adult T cell leukemias (ATLs), 70 non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHLs), and 20 multiple myelomas (MM) as well as 14 ALL, 20 AML, two ATL, and five lymphoma cell lines.