title: Bleomycin-reactive iron in patients with acute non-lymphocytic leukemia.
abstract: Bleomycin-reactive iron was detected in the sera of six out of nine adults undergoing intensive chemotherapy for acute non-lymphocytic leukemia. In these individuals the corresponding transferrin saturation ranged from 96% to 113% and the serum ferritin from 775 to 9975 micrograms/l. Nontransferrin-bound iron has been postulated to be a factor in organ toxicity in iron overload conditions such as beta thalassemia and hereditary hemochromatosis by facilitating the production of tissue-damaging free radicals. We propose that bleomycin-reactive iron should be considered as a possible factor in organ dysfunction seen with intensive cancer chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, MetroHealth Medical Center, Cleveland, OH 44109.
authors.forename: V R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Gordeuk
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Brittenham
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood*; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D001761:Bleomycin; D007501:Iron