We report the molecular, cytogenetic, and immunologic characterization of three hematologic malignancies that contained characteristic t(2;5) chromosomal translocations. The clinicopathologic features in all three cases fit the disease spectrum of so-called malignant histiocytosis (MH). All cases expressed activation antigens including Ki-1 (CD 30), but no lineage-restricted pattern of cellular antigen expression was observed. Cell lines SUP-M2 and SU-DHL-1 established from two of the cases showed rearranged beta T-cell receptor (beta TCR) genes nonproductive of full-length beta TCR mRNA and therefore not helpful in unequivocal establishment of lineage derivation. The common cytogenetic feature was a reciprocal translocation between chromosomes 2 and 5, involving bands 2p23 and 5q35 near the reported chromosomal locations of the N-myc and c-fms genes, respectively. Normal-sized and truncated c-fms RNAs were observed in both cell lines, whereas no N-myc transcripts were detected. Sequence analysis of the truncated fms RNA showed that it consisted of the 3' half of the c-fms mRNA, but its derivation was not the result of a structural alteration of the c-fms gene. Our studies show that the t(2;5) does not involve the N-myc and c-fms protooncogenes and that this cytogenetic abnormality may be characteristic of a subset of primitive malignancies with an indeterminate lineage but with clinicopathologic features of so-called MH.