Acute leukemia after treatment for ovarian cancer. Report of four cases and review of the literature.

Four cases of acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) following ovarian cancer are reported. All patients received alkylating agents and had a preleukemic phase. Seventy-nine additional cases of ANLL following therapy found in the literature are also reviewed. All but 2 patients received alkylating or alkylating-related agents alone or in combination. Mean duration of chemotherapy was 31.4 +/- 19.4 months. Eighty-eight percent of the patients presented with preleukemia with a mean duration of 10 +/- 10 months. Mean interval between cancer and ANLL was 57.3 +/- 26 months. Cytogenetic abnormalities were found in 71% among patients who had a karyotype. Long-term alkylating agent therapy seems to have a significant role in the development of ANLL and should be avoided in ovarian cancer.