title: Pernicious anemia: presentations mimicking acute leukemia.
abstract: Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause profound alterations in the bone marrow. These alterations can mimic the more serious diagnosis of acute leukemia. The two patients described in this report were originally suspected of having acute leukemia or myelodysplasia on the basis of the bone marrow smear, and induction chemotherapy was considered. However, after further studies, they were both found to have vitamin B12 deficiency, and parenteral vitamin B12 administration resulted in normalization of the bone marrow.
authors.affiliation: Texas Cancer Care, Fort Worth, TX 76104, USA.
authors.forename: Cristi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aitelli
authors.forename: Lori
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wasson
authors.forename: Ray
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Page
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000752:Anemia, Pernicious / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D014805:Vitamin B 12