BACKGROUND: The association of acute leukemia and multiple myeloma (MM) has been usually described not only as a complication of chemotherapy but also in the absence of chemotherapy or together at the time of diagnosis. Such leukemias are typically acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The myelomonocytic subtype is particularly found. CASE REPORT: We report a case of a 68-year-old female who developed AML 2 years after the diagnosis of light chain (kappa) myeloma. She had been treated with oral melphalan and prednisone for MM. The patient was treated with an anthracycline-lacking therapy consisting of etoposide 120 mg/m2, thioguanine 100 mg/m2 orally twice daily on 1-5 days, and cytarabine 40 mg/m2 subcutaneously on day 1 (ETC) because of poor cardiac performance. CONCLUSION: Following ETC therapy our particular patient has been in complete hematologic remission for 29 months. This therapy might be a safe alternative in secondary leukemia especially for elderly patients.
BACKGROUND: The association of acute leukemia and multiple myeloma (MM) has been usually described not only as a complication of chemotherapy but also in the absence of chemotherapy or together at the time of diagnosis. Such leukemias are typically acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The myelomonocytic subtype is particularly found. CASE REPORT: We report a case of a 68-year-old female who developed AML 2 years after the diagnosis of light chain (kappa) myeloma. She had been treated with oral melphalan and prednisone for MM. The patient was treated with an anthracycline-lacking therapy consisting of etoposide 120 mg/m2, thioguanine 100 mg/m2 orally twice daily on 1-5 days, and cytarabine 40 mg/m2 subcutaneously on day 1 (ETC) because of poor cardiac performance. CONCLUSION: Following ETC therapy our particular patient has been in complete hematologic remission for 29 months. This therapy might be a safe alternative in secondary leukemia especially for elderly patients.
Authors: Wang Lu-Qun; Li Hao; Li Xiang-Xin; Li Fang-Lin; Wang Ling-Ling; Chen Xue-Liang; Hou Ming Journal: BMC Cancer Date: 2015-10-16 Impact factor: 4.430