Surreal image of a blood drop morphing into leukemia cells, symbolizing the loss of blood type antigens.

Blood Group Anomaly: When Leukemia Hides Your Blood Type

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Avery Sinclair in Health & Wellness August 2025 • 4 min read.

"Unmasking Leukemia: How a Missing Blood Group Antigen Led to a Critical Diagnosis"


In the world of medicine, sometimes the most unexpected clues lead to the most critical diagnoses. Blood group antigens, the markers that define our blood type, are usually constant throughout our lives. However, in rare instances, these markers can disappear, signaling an underlying health issue. This is the story of one such case, where a routine blood test uncovered a life-threatening condition: leukemia.

Blood transfusions are a cornerstone of modern medical care, but what happens when a patient's blood type seems to change? Discrepancies in blood typing can pose significant challenges, potentially leading to severe transfusion reactions. In a recently published research paper, doctors investigated how a patient's blood type appeared to shift, revealing a surprising link to acute myeloid leukemia.

The research, documented in "The disappearance of Blood Group Antigens: a clue to the clinical diagnosis of leukemia", details how the loss of blood group antigens became the key to unlocking a diagnosis. This article explores the case, shedding light on the importance of thorough investigation and the subtle ways in which leukemia can manifest.

The Curious Case of the Vanishing Blood Type

Surreal image of a blood drop morphing into leukemia cells, symbolizing the loss of blood type antigens.

A 54-year-old man was admitted to the hospital with a persistent low-grade fever and chills. As part of his evaluation, a blood grouping test was performed. The results were perplexing: his cells appeared to be O Rh D positive, while his serum indicated a blood type of B. This inconsistency immediately raised a red flag, prompting a deeper investigation.

To resolve this discrepancy, doctors turned to the patient's medical history, which revealed that he was previously known to be blood type B RhD positive. Further testing, including a bone marrow aspirate, uncovered a disturbing truth: the patient's bone marrow was overrun with cancerous cells, indicating acute myeloid leukemia. This explained the disappearance of the B and H antigens from his red blood cells.

The immunohematological workup included:
  • Reviewing the patient's past medical history
  • Performing a bone marrow aspirate
  • Flow cytometry analysis to identify leukemia markers
The key to diagnosis was correlating the lab results with the patient's clinical presentation and medical history. This case highlights the importance of considering all available information when interpreting blood typing results, especially in patients with unusual or unexplained symptoms. The blood group discrepancy, in this instance, served as a critical clue, leading to the timely diagnosis and treatment of leukemia.

Why Blood Type Changes Matter

This case isn't just an isolated medical curiosity. The phenomenon of disappearing blood group antigens has been documented in other cases of leukemia and certain malignancies. The underlying mechanism involves the inactivation of enzymes responsible for producing these antigens on the surface of red blood cells.

Understanding this connection is crucial for healthcare professionals. When faced with a blood typing discrepancy, especially in a patient with risk factors for leukemia, it's essential to consider the possibility of an underlying malignancy. This can lead to earlier diagnosis and intervention, potentially improving patient outcomes.

The vanishing blood type case serves as a powerful reminder of the complex interplay between different systems in the human body. It underscores the importance of remaining vigilant, connecting the dots between seemingly unrelated findings, and utilizing all available tools to unravel the mysteries of disease.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1016/j.transci.2018.11.010, Alternate LINK

Title: The Disappearance Of Blood Group Antigens: A Clue To The Clinical Diagnosis Of Leukemia

Subject: Hematology

Journal: Transfusion and Apheresis Science

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Authors: Deepika Chenna, Ganesh Mohan, Vijay Ram Reddy, Shamee Shastry

Published: 2019-02-01

Everything You Need To Know

1

What can cause a person's blood type to appear to change?

In rare cases, discrepancies in blood typing can occur, leading to what appears to be a change in blood type. In the case described, the patient's blood cells appeared to be O Rh D positive, while his serum indicated a blood type of B. This inconsistency was due to the disappearance of B and H antigens from the red blood cells, caused by acute myeloid leukemia disrupting normal blood cell production.

2

Why is the disappearance of blood group antigens a cause for concern?

The disappearance of blood group antigens, such as B and H antigens, can be a sign of underlying health issues like leukemia. The inactivation of enzymes responsible for producing these antigens on the surface of red blood cells, due to malignancies, causes the antigens to disappear.

3

What tests are performed in an immunohematological workup to investigate a blood type anomaly?

The immunohematological workup included reviewing the patient's past medical history, performing a bone marrow aspirate to examine bone marrow, and conducting flow cytometry analysis to identify leukemia markers.

4

How do doctors detect discrepancies in blood typing and diagnose the underlying cause?

Detecting discrepancies in blood typing involves a thorough investigation, including reviewing the patient's medical history and correlating lab results with the patient's clinical presentation and medical history. When inconsistencies arise, further testing, such as a bone marrow aspirate and flow cytometry analysis, may be necessary to identify the underlying cause, such as leukemia.

5

Besides the B and H antigens, can other blood group antigens disappear due to leukemia or other conditions, and what are the implications?

While the case highlights the disappearance of B and H antigens in relation to leukemia, other blood group antigens, such as A antigen, can also be affected in similar scenarios. The specific antigens that disappear depend on the type of leukemia and the enzymes it affects. The ABO and Rh blood group systems are the most clinically significant in transfusion medicine; changes in these antigens would have the most immediate implications for patient care.

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