title: High Prevalence of Obesity in Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL): Implications for Differentiating Agents in APL and Metabolic Syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Between January 1999 and December 2008, 469 patients treated for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) were included in this single-institution study.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a case-control analysis to study the rate of obesity among patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) and non-APL AML.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 81% of APL patients analyzed were obese compared with 41.7% in the non-APL group (p < 0.001). Body mass index (BMI) >30 was seen in 57% of APL patients compared with 31% for the non-APL group (p = 0.01). Neither obesity nor the chemotherapy dosing based on ideal body weight affected survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings generate the hypothesis that APL and metabolic syndromes may share a common pathogenic pathway via retinoic acid receptors (RARs), the ligand-controlled transcription factors that function as heterodimers with retinoid X receptors (RXRs) to regulate cell growth and survival. If this link is confirmed in larger studies, our data will instigate further studies using RXR and RAR modulators as a preventive strategy among obese individuals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tedesco
authors.forename: Julianne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qualtieri
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Head
authors.forename: Bipin N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Savani
authors.forename: Nishitha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Reddy
keywords: RAR; RXR; acute promyelocytic leukemia; body mass index; obesity; prevention
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