| Popis: |
Thirty-four new cases of acute promyelocytic leukaemia (M3) were diagnosed at the authors' Centre between 1970 and 1988 (19 males and 15 females) with ages between 5 and 73 years (median age, 32 years). Three cases were of the hypogranular variant or M3-v (8.8%). The clinical picture included: haemorrhagic diathesis (85%), pallor/malaise (82%), fever/infection (41%), hepatomegaly (26%), splenomegaly (12%). Leucopenia of less than 5 x 10(9)/L was present in 23/34 cases, laboratory signs of DIC in 26/31, increased LDH, over 400 U/mL, in 6/31, and abnormal karyotype in 7/15. One of the patients rejected any treatment; two others died of brain haemorrhage before therapy was started, and seven died in the first two weeks of treatment. Of the 31 patients treated, complete remission (CR) was achieved in 21 cases (67.7%). Allogeneic BMT was carried out in two of them, with further relapse and death. Post-remission treatment was given to the remaining 19 patients, and there were 13 relapses. Six patients have been in CR, 5 of them after cessation of therapy, for the last 1.5-11.5 years. Age under 50 years and leucocyte count below 5 x 10(9)/L at diagnosis were favourable prognostic factors according to the univariate statistical analysis performed. The survival plateau of the actuarial curve was reached beyond 2.75 years by 15% of all the patients treated (33 cases), 23% of the patients who achieved CR (21 cases), 31% of the patients under 50 years of age and 5 x 10(9)/L leucocyte count at diagnosis (15 cases) and 36% of these last achieving CR (13 cases). |
