Chronic myelogenous leukemia after lymphoid irradiation and heart transplantation.

We have previously reported a case of recurrent cardiac rejection in a heart transplant recipient successfully treated with total lymphoid irradiation. Five years after transplantation chronic myelogenous leukemia was diagnosed in this patient. The long-term effects of total lymphoid irradiation in the heart transplant population have not been reported. Based on the known relationships among irradiation, gene translocations, and leukemia, we postulate that this patient's chronic myelogenous leukemia may be a long-term sequela of previous total lymphoid irradiation.