title: Acute leukemia in advanced ovarian carcinoma after treatment with alkylating agents.
abstract: Two cases of advanced ovarian carcinoma treated with chlorambucil and terminating in acute leukemia are presented and the literature reviewed. The first patient was diagnosed by laparotomy as having Stage III ovarian carcinoma, and total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-ophorectomy were performed. After 7 years and 2 months of chemotherapy, acute myeloblastic leukemia was diagnosed, and the patient expired 4 months later. At autopsy no residual ovarian tumor was found. The second patient had a right oophorectomy after the diagnosis of Stage III ovarian carcinoma had been made. After 5 years and 9 months of chemotherapy she developed acute myelomonocytic leukemia and expired 2 months later, with residual ovarian tumor present on autopsy. The benefits of surgical reexploration in occasional cases of good clinical remission after chemotherapy are discussed in view of potential carcinogenicity of cytostatic agents.
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000231:Adenocarcinoma, Papillary / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000328:Adult; D000477:Alkylating Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002699:Chlorambucil / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003537:Cystadenoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid / Q000139:chemically induced; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000139:chemically induced; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000477:Alkylating Agents; D002699:Chlorambucil