Leukemias with abnormalities in chromosome 11q23 occur frequently after exposure to topoisomerase II-reactive drugs. We investigated the characteristics and outcome of patients with de novo or secondary acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) or myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) with abnormalities in chromosome 11q. Sixty-one patients had 11q abnormalities. Alterations involved 11q23 in 38 patients and other 11q abnormalities in 23. Sixteen patients had secondary disease, 12 involving 11q23, and four with other 11q abnormalities; 26 patients with de novo disease had 11q23 abnormalities and 19 other 11q abnormalities. The most common 11q23 abnormality was t(9;11), significantly more common in secondary (9/12) than in de novo (6/26) leukemias (p = 0.003). There were no significant differences in clinical characteristics between de novo and secondary groups involving 11q23. Five of 12 patients (42%) with secondary and 20/26 (77%) with de novo disease achieved complete remission (p = 0.05). Median survival was 6 weeks in the secondary group and 71 weeks in the de novo group (p = 0.001). There were no long-term survivors in either group. Results are similar when other 11q abnormalities are included. Adults with AML or MDS with 11q abnormalities secondary to prior chemotherapy have a worse prognosis than patients presenting de novo. However, 11q abnormalities define a population with a poor prognosis even when presenting de novo.