Therapy-related acute myeloid leukaemia following immunosuppression with azathioprine for polymyositis.
A 52-year-old man developed therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia (AML) following prolonged immunosuppression with azathioprine for polymyositis. Karyotypic analysis showed deletions of the short arm of chromosome 7 and the long arm of chromosome 5. The importance of recognizing this potential complication while treating benign rheumatological and immunological diseases with purine analogues like azathioprine is emphasized. Therapy-related AML is a poor prognostic group that does not respond favourably to standard induction therapy.
Krishnan
K
K
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor.
Adams
P
P
Silveira
S
S
Sheldon
S
S
Dabich
L
L
D000208:Acute Disease; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002872:Chromosome Deletion; D002895:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 5 / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002897:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 7 / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D007621:Karyotyping; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017285:Polymyositis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011379:Prognosis
D001379:Azathioprine