Clonal remission in aplastic anemia after treatment with antithymocyte globulin.
Aplastic anemia includes a group of disorders characterized by peripheral blood pancytopenia and marrow hypocellularity. The current report describes a patient who is an apparent constitutional mosaic and presented with marrow aplasia. Using cytogenetic analysis of bone marrow, skin, and peripheral T lymphocytes, we demonstrated the clonal nature of this patient's aplastic marrow, and, in addition, identify clonal evolution. The patient was treated with antithymocyte globulin (ATG) and achieved a complete remission, with disappearance of an abnormal evolved clone. This case illustrates that clonal cytogenetic abnormalities do not preclude a response to ATG and that aplastic anemia may be a nonmalignant clonal disorder with clonal evolution.
Wun
T
T
Department of Medicine and Pathology, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento.
Lewis
J P
JP
D000368:Aged; D000741:Anemia, Aplastic / Q000628:therapy*; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002999:Clone Cells; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013601:T-Lymphocytes; D014178:Translocation, Genetic
D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum